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Author: 


Brockett,  Linius  Pierpont 


Title: 

Walter  Powell,  of 
Melbourne  and  London 

Place: 

New  York 

Date: 

1872 


9^-%  peso -^ 

MASTER    NEGATIVE   # 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 
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■^ 


Brockett,  Linius  Pierpont,  1820-1893. 

Walter  Powell,  of  Melbourne  and  London,  merchant, 
philanthropist,  and  Christian  ...  Edited  and  largely  re- 
written from  Eev.  Be^'amin  Gregory's  ** Memoirs  of 
Walter  Powell,  mercham".  By  L.  P.  Brockett  ...  New 
York,  G.  Eoutledge  &  sons,  1872. 

viii,  357p.    18^". 


l._Powell,  Walter,  1822-1868.        i-jCregory,  Benjamin,  1820-1900.    The 
thorough  business  man.    Memoirs  of  Walter  Powell,  merchant.  ^ 


Library  of  Congress 
Copyright     1872:  12357 


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ScKool  of  Business  Library 
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THE  LIBRARIES 


School  of  Business 


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WALTEU  POWELL 


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MELBOURNE   AND    LONDON, 


•'  Diligent  in  bitsinesH,  fervent  in  spirit,  servirig  the  Lord.' 


EDITED  AKD  LARGELY  REWRITTEN  FROM  REV.  BENJAMIN  GREGORY'S 

''MEMOIRS  OF  WALTER  POAVELl,  MERCHANT.'' 


By  L.  p.  BKOCKETT,  M.D., 

Al'THOR   or 
•'MEN  OF  OUB  DAY,"    "WOMAN'S  WORK  IN  THE  CiVXL   WAR,'    ETC.,   ETC. 


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NEW  YORK: 

GEORGE    EOUTLEDGE    &    SONS, 

416    BROOME    STREET. 
1872. 


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Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congre«8,  in  the  yeur  1872,  by 

GEOIIGE  KOUTLEDGE  &  SONS, 

In  the  Office  of  tlie  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington. 


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PREFACE 


The  union  of  remarkable  business  ability,  deep  re- 
ligious fervor,  and   intense   activity  in  Christian  work, 
thougli  more  frequent  now  than  forty  or  fifty  years  ago, 
is  not  so  common  that  we  can  afford  to  lose  the  benefit  of 
any  conspicuous  examples  of  it.     In  a  country  where 
«  the  haste  to  be  rich"  has  infected  so  large  a  part  of  the 
community,  and   where  professing  Christians  are  prone 
to  forget  their  holy  calling,  in  their  zeal  to  accumulate 
wealth,  it  is  refreshing  to  the  soul  to  yead  the  history  of 
a  man  who,  while  "  diligent  in  business,  was  also  fervent 
in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord."     Few  men  have  been  en- 
dowed by  our  Heavenly  Father  with  such  rare  business 
capacities  as  Walter  Powell,  and  fewer  still  use  them,  as 
systematically  as  he  did,  for  the  gloiy  of  God. 

Who  can  tell  how  much  good  has  been  accomplished 
by  the  memoirs  of  these  eminent  servants  of  God? 
Hundreds  of  thousands  have  read  the  biographies  of 
Norman  Smith,  of  Nathaniel  R.  Cobb,  of  Samuel  Bud- 
gett,  of  Amos  Lawrence,  of  Harlan  Page,  and  of  Wil- 
liam Wilberforce ;  and  that  they  have  exerted  a  powerful 
influence  in  moulding  the  characters  of  men  now  on  the 
stage  of  active  life,  whose  noble  beneficence  and  deep 


iv 


PREFACE. 


devotion  are  the  glory  and  joj  of  every  branch  of  the 
one  household  of  faith,  is  acknowledged  by  these  very  men. 
In  presenting  to  the  Christian  public  another  example 
of  the  fervor  of  a  living  Christian  faith,  manifesting  it- 
self in  abundant  good  works,  we  feel  that  we  are  contrib- 
uting  our  humble  mite  to  the  promotion  of  that  cause 
which  was  ever  uppermost  in  the  heart  and  life  of  Wal- 
ter Powell. 

The  work,  in  its  present  form,  makes  little  pretension 
to  originality.    "The  Thorough  Business  Man:   Memoirs 
of  Walter  Powell,   Merchant,  of  Melbourne  and  Lon- 
don," by  Rev.  Benjamin  Gregory,  is  its  basis,  and  from 
that  work  we  have  di-awn  very  largely.     But  while  Rev. 
Mr.  Gregory  believed,  and  peihaps  wisely,  that  it  was 
necessary  for  his  English  and  Colonial    readers  that  ho 
should  interweave  his  narrative  with  elaborate  discus- 
sions of   questions  of   commercial  ethics  and    political 
economy,   we    fail    to    perceive   a   similar   necessity  for 
American  readers,  and  have  ventured  to  relieve  the  sim- 
ple story  of  his  life  from  these  extraneous  matters.     We 
have  also  given  somewhat  less  prominence  to  the  special 
customs  and  forms  of  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Church 
in  Australia,  as  not  necessary  to  the  completeness  of  the 
narrative,  and  not   differing   in    principle,  though  they 
might  in  name,  from  the  corresponding  sub-organizations 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  here.     Though  a  zeal- 
ous Methodist,  where   Methodism   was  needed,  Walter 
Powell  was  too  broad  and  comprehensive  a  soul  to  be 
regarded  as  the  exclusive  property  of  any  one  division  of 


PREFACE. 


Christ's  kingdom  on  earth.  He  was  first  and  foremost  of 
all,  a  Christian,  and  to  all  the  children  of  God,  as  mem- 
bei-s  of  the  household  of  faith,  his  heart  and  hand  were 

ever  open. 

The  introduction  and  the  chapters  in  which  we  have 
endeavored  to  urge  upon  Christian  business  men  in  our 
own  country  the;  blessedness  of  such  a  life  as  his,  and  its 
sublime  influence  in  the  promotion  of  the  cause  of  Christ 
upon  earth,  are  all  which  are  not  in  a  greater  or  less  de- 
gree drawn  from  IVIr.  Gregory's  work.  That  the  Giver 
of  every  good  and  perfect  gift,  from  whom  come  alike 
the  intellectual  gifts  and  the  moral  power  which  bless 
humanity,  and  to  whose  grace  was  due  this  conspicuous 
manifestation  of  the  Christian  life,  may  bless  this  simple 
narrative,  to  the  upbuilding  of  His  cause,  is  the  sincere 

prayer  of  the  editor  of  this  work. 

L.   P.   B. 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  September,  1872. 


CONTENTS. 


OllAPTKl 


lt> 


I.- 

II- 
III.- 

IV.- 

V.- 

VI.- 

VII.- 

VIII.- 

IX.- 
X.- 

XI.- 
XII.- 

xin.. 
xrv.- 

XV.- 


PAGS 

Preface "" 

Introduction ^ 

-boynood  and  its  struggles    .        .       .        •  5 

-His  Conversion 24 

-The  Development  of  the  Christian  Life    .  35 

-The  Harmony  of  his  Spiritual  and  Secu- 
lar Life ^ 

-Church  Life 60 

-Removal  to  Melbourne 68 

-His  first  Voyage  to  England         .        .        .78 

-His  Return  to  Melbourne. — Life  on  Board 
AN  Emigrant  Ship 85 

-He  succeeds  in  Business 105 

-Lo\T3  TO  God  Manifesting  itself  in  Chris- 
tian Charity 118 

-His  second  Voyage  to  England     .       .        .  139 

-Visit  to  America. — Return  to   Melbourne. 
—His  Studies.— Removal  to  England       .  152 

-His  Singleness  of  Purpose,  and  Conscien- 
tious REGARD  to  THE  DiVINE  COMMANDS       .    166 

-His    Business    Principles    and    Character- 
istics         179 

-His  Business  Characteristics,  Continued     .  191 


•  •  • 

Vlll 


CHAPTEK 

XVI.- 


XVIL- 

XVIII.- 
XIX. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 


-Other  Business  Characteristics  Illustra- 
ted—Prudence, Caution,  Watchfulness, 
AND  Sound  Judgment 211 

-Business  Characteristics,  Continued— Fru- 
gality, F.uRNESS,  Contentment,  and  Mod- 
eration    230 

-His  Consecration  op  his  Wealth  to  Chris- 
tian Benevolence 246 

-His  Careful  and  Laborious  Intellectual 
Culture 268 


XX.— His  Service  of  the  Church  . 
XXI 


281 


His  Home  Traits— Geniality,  Frankness,  and 
Affection 298 


XXn.— His  Declining  Health  and  Death 
XXIII.— The  Lessons  of  his  Life  . 


.  317 
.  340 


I 


introduction. 


>»• 


In  iiitroducing  to  our  readers  the  man  whose  life 
is  narrated  in  the  pages  of  this  little  volume,  we 
have  far  other  aims  than   simj^ly   to  increase  the 
already  large  list  of  biographies  of  a  religions  char- 
acter, by  the  addition  of  the  memoii*s  of  a  man 
whose  only  claims  to  commemoration  were  his  piety 
and  benevolence.     We  have  already  a  sufficiency  of 
these  biographies  of  obscure  men,  without  adding 
to  their  number.     But  Walter  Powell  was  no  com- 
mon man.     Reared  from  infancy  in  the  newest  and 
wildest  of    the   British   Antipodal   Colonies,  amid 
severe  hardships  and  great  moral  perils,  with  no 
early  education,  except  that  derived  from  a  mother's 
teaching;  transferred,  in  the  very  prime  of  man- 
hood, to   the   scarcely  more   settled   and   civilized 
Australian  town  of  Melbourne,  exposed  to  the  great 
temptations  and  vicissitudes  of  the  early  gold  min- 
in^*"  period  ;   voyaging  repeatedly  to  England  and 
America  ;  establishing  in  the  midst  of  great  excite- 
ment and  constant  changes,  an  extensive  business, 
on  a  basis  so  linn,  that  no  finan(iial  panics  were  able 
to  disturb  it ;  and  when  his  house  had  become  the 
leading  one  in  the  Colony,  withdrawing  from  its 
personal  supervision,  and  establishing  in  London  a 
still  larger  one,  whose  transactions  were  extensive 
in  every  quarter  of  the  globe.     Amid  this  extraor- 
dinary busiuess  activity,  conducted  often  under  the 
pressure  of  impaired  health,  this  man  found  time 


i 


2  INTRODIJCnON. 

and  opportunity  for  intellectual  and  aesthetic  cul- 
ture so  extensive  and  generous,  that  he  became, 
even  in  their  favorite  studies,  the  peer  of  men 
whose  scientific  attainments  had  been  gained  in  the 
halls  of  the  great  universities,  and  under  the  most 
favorable  circumstances.  He  became  a  popular  and 
eloquent  public  speaker,  and  could  have  gained,  had 
it  been  worthy  his  ambition,  a  seat  in  Parliament. 
And  yet  he  died  in  the  very  prime  of  life,  at  the 
age  of  forty-five  years. 

But  it  is  not  for  his  great  business  abilities,  nor 
for  the  height  of    intellectual  or  aesthetic  culture 
which  he  had  attained,  self-taught,  that  we  have  felt 
that  his  memoirs  should  be  written,  but  because 
amid  all  this  connnercial  activity,  and  this  incessant 
study,  underlying  it  all,  and  forming  the  solid  and 
substantial  basis  of   his  character,  was   an  active, 
ardent,  working  piety.     He  had  consecrated  liimself 
to  Christ,  in  the  dawn  of  his  youth,  before  his  ex- 
traordinary  commercial  prosperity,  and  he  was  not 
the  man  to  draw  back  from  that  consecration ;  in 
the  time  when  business  was  most  overwhelming,  he 
was  most  active  in  the  service  of  his  Divine  Master, 
and  this  activity  was  never  relaxed  until  he  was 
called  up  to  the  service  of  praise  on  high.     His  re- 
ligion was  not  a  Sabbath-day  worship,  whose  benign 
influences  did  not  extend  into  his  week-day  life ;  on 
the  contrary,  it  permeated  every  business  transac- 
tion ;  it  showed  itself  in  his  solicntude  to  do  rightly 
and  justly  by  liis  customei-s,  and  his  determination 
to  exa(it  what  was  just  and  right  from  those  with 
whom  he  dealt;  it  caused  hiin  to  bp  lionored  and 


INTEODUCTION.  ^ 

respected  as  a  man  of  the  stanchest  principle,  by  all 
who  had  dealings  with  him ;  it  illustrated  the  truth 
so  often  doubted  and  denied,  that  the  highest  Chris- 
tian  principle  is  consistent  with  commercial  success. 
Thorou-hly  interwoven  with  this  spotless  Chris- 
tian   life,"wa^  that    almost  unbounded    liberality 
which  was  so  beautiful  a  trait  of  his  character      io 
all  good  causes,  his  hand  was  ever  open,  and  his 
charity  was  not  a  mere  impulse ;  large  as  it  was,  it 
was  systematic,  and  adapted  skilfully  to  accomplish 
the  ends  he  wished  to  promote.     Whether  it  were 
the  founding  a  Home  for  the  poor  emigrants,  flock- 
ing in  such  numbers  to  Melbourne,  erecting  chap- 
els, establishing  a  Book  Concern  and  a  pubhc  lib- 
rary, sustaining    missionaries,  aiding  students  for 
the  ministry,  helping  the  Lord's  poor  saints,  succor- 
ing those  who  had  been  disastered  in  the  financial 
vicissitudes  so  common   at  Melbourne,  organizing 
schools,  or  rendering  assistance  to  the  families  of 
the  unfortunate,  his  gifts  were  always  judicious,  and 
thouo-h,  sometimes,  he  submitted  to  serious  personal 
privrtlons,  rather  than  let  the  poor,  or  the  cause  he 
so  much  loved,  suffer,  yet  he  rarely,  and  perhaps 
never,  gave  unwisely. 

A  life  of  such  enterprise  and  commercial  activity, 
so  beneficent  and  fruitful  in  good  works,  and  withal 
so  self-denying  and  untiring  in  its  Christian  zeal  and 
devotion,  surely  deserves  to  be  put  upon  record  for 
the  encouragement  of  those  who  would  fain  tread  in 
his  footprints,  and  seek  to  follow  his  example,  even 
as  he  followed  that  of  his  Divine  Master. 

It   is  worthy  of   notice    that  while  memoirs  of 


I 


!l 


4  TNTEODUCnON. 

scholars,  statesmen,  military  and  naval  command- 
ers, clergymen,  physicians,  jurists,  and  philosophers 
abound,  there  are  comparatively  few  of  merchants, 
and  most  of  these  are  occupied  with  their  mercantile 
career  alone.  Why  should  we  not  record  the  strng- 
eles  and  successes  of  one,  who,  while  diligent  in 
business,  was  also  assiduous  in  laying  up  treasure 

in  heaven?  . 

We  reioice  to  know  that  in  our  own  time  there  is 
a  constantly  increasing  feeling  of  obligation  on  the 
part  of  Christian  men  of  wealth,  our  bankers  and 
Inerchant-princes,  that  not  only  their  money,  but 
their  lives  and  personal  activities,  should  be  conse- 
crated to  Clirist,  and  that  from  banks  and  offices, 
from  warehouses  and  manufactories,  from  stately 
mansions  and  beautiful  villas,  as  well  as  from  the 
humbler  dwellings  of  the  poor,  there  are  now  mar- 
shalling a  host  which  no  man  can  number^  fully 
armed  and  equipped  for  the  service  of  the  Captam 
of  their  salvation;  i^ady  for  any  sacrifice  of  time 
and  money,  and  pei-sonal  ease  and  comfort,  so  that 
they  may  do  the  will  of  their  Master. 

Ii,  the  i?reat  day  of  accounts,  when  the  good  and 
evil  which  men  have  done  on  earth  during  their  lives, 
and  the  influence  which  their  work  and  example  has 
wrought  after  their  death,  shall  be  summed  up,  we 
believe  it  will  be  found  that  Walter  Powell  s  emi- 
nently  Christian  life,  amid  the  cares  and  trials  ot  a 
busuiess  career,  has  been  productive  of  great  good 
to  n,anv  thousands  whom  he  never  knew  here,  but 
who  will  be  among  the  stars  in  his  crown  of  rejoic- 
in"  in  the  Paradise  of  God. 


r({ 


i    ! 


CHAPTER  I. 

BOYHOOD   AND   ITS   STRUGGLES. 

Though  a  stranger  to  England  until  his  thirty- 
fourth  year,  Walter  Powell  first  drew  breath  at  Tot- 
tenham, near  London,  in  May,  1822.     His  father 
had  been  a  member  of  a  highly  respectable  firm  of 
merchants  in  London,  still  existing  as  Messrs.  Henry 
Powell  &  Sons,  Fenchurch    Street,  City;   but  the 
rapid  increase  of  his  family,  and  the  commercial 
revulsions  which  fohowed  tlie  Napoleonic  wars,  had 
induced  him  to  withdraw  from  the  firm,  and  attempt 
some  shorter  route  to  wealth.     He  had  removed  to 
Southern  Wales,  and  there  attempted  to  accomplish 
his  desires  by  several  experiments  in  manufactur- 
ing; and  these  failing,  either  from  lack  of   expe- 
rience and  skill,  or  from  an  insufficient  market,  he 
had  declined  to  accept  a  position  as  head  manager 
of  a  large  and  lucrative  business,  and  determined  to 
emigrate   to   the   distant   and   then   newly  opened 
colony  of  Yan  Diemen's  Land,  or,  as  it  is  now  called, 
Tasmania.     Several  of  his  friends  had  already  gone 
thither,  and  Mr.  Powell  resolved  to  follow.     It  was 
during  the  farewell  visit  of  the  family  to  friends  in 
London  and  vicinity  that  Walter  Powell  was  born. 

"  At  that  time,"  says  Rev.  Mr.  Gregory,  "  the  col- 
ony of  Yan  Diemen's  Land  was  in  its  infancy.    Al- 


\=r 


6 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


though  that  beautiful  island  had  been  discovered  so 
long-ago  as  1042,  yet  the  first  settlement  upon  it  was 
made  hi  1803,  nineteen  years  before  Mr.  Fowell's 
immigration.     Even  then  a  spot  so  favored  by  Nat- 
ure, yet  so  long  abandoned  to  the   occupancy  of 
savlges  of  the  lowest  type,  was  utilized  by  the  British 
Government  only  as  one  of  the  cesspools  of  civiliza- 
tion, being  chosen  as  a  convict  station  for  criminals 
of  the  worst  class,  a  second  time  transported— first 
from  England,  then  from  Botany  Bay.     Barbarism 
and  crime  held  joint  tenancy  of  a  land  framed  by 
the  Creator  to  be  the  home  of  a  happy  Christian 
civilization.     For  ten  years  all  comnnmication  be- 
tween it  and  the  rest  of  the  world  was  interdicted, 
with  the  exception  of  Great  Britain  and  New  South 
Wales.     In  1813,  however,  the  ban  was  removed. 
The  fii-st  free  settlers  endured  great  hardships,  being 
often  unable  to  procure  any  other  food  than  a  little 
kangaroo  flesh  and  a  few  sea  plants,  humorously 
called  "  Botany  Bay  greens."     Even  refuse  blubber, 
washed  on  shore  from  the  whalei-s  after  the  oil  had 
been  extracted,  was  eagerly  added  to  their  scanty 
commissariat.     The  British  public,  however,  gradu- 
ally became  aware  of  the  superior  clanns  of  \  an 
Diemen's  Land  to  the  consideration  of  emigrants. 
They  heard   of    the   unrivalled   deliciousness   and 
healthiness  of  its  climate,  peculiarly  favorable  to  the 
constitution   of    an   Englishman,  enjoying  insular 
freshness,  in  a  latitude  corresponding   to   that  ot 
Southern  Italy.     They  read  of  the  richness  of  its 
soil,  suited  to  almost  every  production  of  our  own 
fields  and  gardens,  the  varied  picturesqueness  of  its 


\^i 


J 


-  u 


BOYnOOD  AND  ITS  STRUGGLES.  7 

landscapes,  an  Arcadian  or  Palestinian  combination 
of  plain  and  mountain,  meadow  and  woodland,  and 
brooks  of  water  which  run  among  valleys  and  hills, 
with  the  setting  of  a  magnificent  coast,  broken  by 
sheltered  coves  and  ample  harbors,  that  of  Hobart 
Town  being  one  of  the  largest  in  the  world.  The 
island  is,  in  fact,  a  kind  of  antipodal  Devon.  '^  Som- 
ersetshire," says  Sir  C.  W.  Dilke,  "  cannot  surpass 
the  orchards  of  Tasmania,  nor  Devonshire  match  its 

fiowers." 

It  was  not  till  1818  that  emigrants  in  any  consid- 
erable numbers  sought  this  distant  land  of  promise. 
At  the  time  of  Mr.  Powell's  immigration,  the  entire 
population  of  the  colony,  accx)rding  to  the  census 
just  before  taken,  amounted  to  seven  thousand  one 
hundred  and  fifteen. 

If  the  first  layer  of   Tasmanian  society  was  a 
coarse  concrete  of  crime,  the  second  was  composed 
mainly  of  adversity  and  adventure.     Resolute  men, 
whose  prospects  in  their  native  land  were  blighted, 
and  whose  way  was  built  up  or  swallowed  up,  betook 
themselves  to  the  goodly  land  which  Providence  had 
"espied"  for  them  across  the  desert-deep.   Amongst 
these  came  a  few  men  of  business  who  preferred 
colonization   to   clerkship.     Of   this   class  was   the 
father  of  Walter  Powell.     He  settled  on  the  Mac- 
quarie  plains,  described  as    "a  splendid   alluvial 
valley,  which  for  fertility  and  beauty  of  scenery  can 
scarcely  be  surpassed."  *     He  built  for  himself  a 
mud-house  of  some  pretensions,  which,  being  double 

*  Stoney's  "Besidence  in  Tasmania." 


!|s=^ 


8 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


tlie  height  of  the  ordinary  dwellings,  and  betraying 
the  weakness  of  its  constitution  by  a  very  marked 
obliquity,  was  humorously  called  a  Pisa  house,  m 
allusion  to  the  famous  Italian  leaning  tower.    There 
misfortune  dogged  him.     Soon  after  his  arrival  at 
his  forest  home,  he  was  prostrated  by  a  severe  and 
long-lasting  attack  of  rheumatic  fever,  the  penalty 
of  unwonted  exposure  and  exertion.    AVhilst  stretch- 
ed  helpless  in  bed,  bush-rangers  broke  into  his  cot- 
tage, and  stripped  him  of  almost  all  he  had.     This 
outrage,  followed  by  the  loss  of  a  very  valuable 
hoi-se,  brought  the   family  to  the  verge  of    ruin. 
The  mother,  an  accomplished  lady,  tried  to  raise  a 
little  money  by  opening  a  school  for  the  children  of 
the  scattered  and  struggling  emigrants.     In  her  let- 
ters  to  her  friends  in  England,  she  confesses  that 
the  beautiful  country  and   climate  formed   their 
only  solace.     Thus  Walter  Powell  grew  up  amongst 
the  worst  hardships  and  dangers  of  a  pioneer-settler, 
and  the  bitter  mortifications  of  moneyless  gentility. 
The  aborigines  showed  towards  the  new-comers  a 
Bkulking  and  ferocious  enmity,  setting  fire  to  their 
homes  and  stacks,  and  making  themselves  altogether 
very  dangerous  neighbors,  especially  to  those  who, 
like  Mr.  Powell,  lived  at  a  distance  from  the  towns. 
The  relations  of  the  natives  and  the  settlers  had  at 
first  been  of  the  most  friendly  kind.     The  Tasma- 
nian  savage  was,  while  unprovoked,  a  good-humored, 
Bimple-liearted   creature.      His  friendship   seemed 
likely  to   be   more   troublesome   than   his   enmity. 
Like  the  aborigines  of  New  South  Wales,  the  na- 
tives of  Van  Diemeu's  Land  were  fond  of  squatting 


J 


H 


#" 


BOYHOOD   AND   ITS   STRUGGLES. 


9 


in  the  neighborhood  of  the  emigrants.     But  runa- 
way  convicts,  and  others  whom  the  governor  had 
been  compelled,  from  want  of  provisions,  to  send 
into  the  woods  to  find  their  own  food,  had  perpe- 
trated upon  the  poor  creatures  the  most  diabolical 
atrocities.     This  naturally  aroused  in  them  a  fierce 
determination  to  extirpate  the  new-comers,  whom 
they  began  to  regard  as  deadly  enemies.     The  only 
mode  of   warfare  which   their   rude  weapons   and 
savage  strategy  allowed  was  sly  and  detailed  mur- 
der.*'They   constantly   lurked   about   the   settlers' 
homes  and  fields,  crouching,  cat-hke,  in  the  bushes. 
When  discovered,  they  always  appeared  to  be  wea- 
ponless, having  acquired  the  art  of  dragging  their 
spears  along  the  ground ;  for  they  could  use  their 
toes  as  deftly  as  their  fingers.     They  seemed  to  be- 
long to  the  order  quadrumana,  their  feet  and  hands 
could  exchange   functions   at   the   moment's  need. 
On  the  whole,  they  were  formidable  enemies,  mak- 
ing up   by  cunning  and  extreme  dexterity  in   the 
preparation  and  use  of  their  rude  missiles,  for  the 
inferiority  of  their  tools  and  the  want  of  fire-arms. 
Their  spears  were  straightened  by  their  teeth,  till 
they  poised  as  perfectly  as  an  English  fishing-rod, 
and   both   these  and   their  clubs   they  could   send 
quivering  through  the   air  with  terrible  force  and 
precision.     Even  their  women,  in  procuring  opos- 
sums and  crayfish  for  food,  had  become  incredibly 
expert,  both  in  diving  and  climbing.     The  savages 
found  a  leader  in  the  person  of  a  clever  villain,  who 
went  by  the  name  of  Mosquito.     He  was  a  native  of 
Sydney,  who,  having  been  condemned  to  death  for 


10 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


the  murder  of  a  woman,  had  hy  perverted  pity  been 
reprieved  and  transported  to  Van  Diemen's  Land, 
where,  by  simulating  repentance  and  reformation, 
he  obtained  his  liberty,  married  a  black  woman, 
and  organized  a  desperate  attack  upon  the  whites. 

These  planned  outrages  commenced  in  1823,  a  few 
months  after  Mr.  Powell's  arrival.  The  state  of 
things  was  such,  that  tlie  settlers  in  remote  parts  of 
the  island  were  perpetually  in  bodily  fear  for  them- 
selves, their  wives,  and  their  children.  In  the  words 
of  Mrs.  Meredith,  "  A  residence  in  this  countiy  was 
one  long  series  of  alarms,  suffering,  and  loss,  with 
the  daily  imminent  peril  of  a  fearful  death,  when 
every  bush  within  spear-throw  was  a  source  of  dan- 
ger; and  to  stray  beyond  the  door-sill  unarmed  was 
nothing  short  of  felo-de-se?'^  *  Backhouse  states 
that  "  there  were  few  families  in  the  island  who  had 
not  sustained  some  injury,  or  lost  some  member,  by 
the  treachery  of  the  aborigines. 

But  far  more  savage  than  the  savages  were  the 
bands  of  escaped  convicts,  who  haunted  the  forests 
like  demoniacs,  devoting  themselves  to  robbery,  out- 
rage, and  murder.  Being  men  who  in  the  lowest 
depth  of  penal  discipline  had  found  a  lower  deep, 
had  baffled  the  utmost  resources  of  punitive  disci- 
pline, and  had  become  as  intolerant  of  their  own 
lives  as  they  were  reckless  of  the  lives  of  others, 
they  had  by  desperate  daring  escaped  the  teeth  of 
watch-dogs  and  the  shot  of  sentinels,  and  found 
themselves  provisionless  in  the  gloomy  woods,  har- 


♦  "My  Home  in  Tasmania,"  vol.  i.,  p.  190. 


BOYHOOD  AND  ITS  STKUGGLES. 


11 


dened,  hopeless,  maddened  by  hunger,  reduced  to 
cannibalism,  and  often  preying  upon  each  other. 
No  wonder  that  they  did  not  spare  either  savages  or 
settlers,  when  they  had  them  at  their  mercy.  A 
neighbor  of  Mr.  Powell,  Mr.  Alison,  of  Stramshall, 
on  the  Macquarie  river,  who  had  emigrated  at  the 
same  time,  and  had  in  earlier  life  commanded  a  ship 
under  Nelson  at  Copenhagen,  sustained  a  fearful 
encounter  with  three  of  these  men,  who  left  him  for 
dead  on  his  own  door-step.  "  Scenes  had  been  en- 
acted or  talked  of  in  the  presence  of  children  which 
made  them,  when  grown  to  manhood,  hate  the  land 
of  their  birth,  and  fly  to  other  shores."  *  Add  to  all 
this  the  frequent  bush-fires,  and  the  sudden,  devas- 
tating floods  to  which  the  Tasmanian  rivei^  are  pe- 
culiarly liable,  from  the  nearness  of  their  sources  in 
snow-capped  mountains ;  and  one  may  form  some 
idea  of  the  multiform  dangers  amidst  which  Walter 
Powell's  boyhood  was  passed.  The  lovely  island 
w^as  not  yet  Tasmania,  but  still  Yan  Diemen's  Land. 
The  then  existing  state  of  things  corresponded  to 
the  doleful  associations  which  the  very  name  con- 
jured up  to  our  boyish  fancy — chains,  and  hopeless 
drudgery,  and  work  under  the  whip,  amidst  hateful 
companionship. 

Yet  the  memories  of  his  childhood  exercised  a 
very  traceable  influence  upon  Walter  Powell's 
character.  Having  few  playmates  or  schoolfellows, 
he  grew  into  close  companionship  with  nature.  He 
became  an  intense  watcher  of  the  habits  of  insects 

*  Dilke's  "  Greater  Britain." 


n 


12 


LIFE   OF    WALTER   POWELL. 


and  forest  birds,  speudiug  hours  in  an  admiring 
study  of  their  various  modes  of  life.     His  chief  as- 
sociates were  the  graceful  emu,  stately  as  a  swan, 
comely  in  going  as  a  he-goat  or  a  king ;  the  gentle, 
soft-eyed  kangaroo;  the  colloquial  and  consequen- 
tial   cockatoo,  with  lemon-colored   liead-dress,  and 
vivid  plumage,  many-hued,  glancing  in  the  sunshine. 
Animal  forms  which  seem  to  us  so  queer  and  abnor- 
mal, the  wombat,  etc.,  were  those  with  which  his 
childhood  was  most  familiar.     He  loved  to  wander 
amongst  the  stately  gum-trees,  rising  like  cathedral 
columns,  straight  and  round,  for  a  hundred  or  a 
hundred    and    fifty   feet   without    a    branch,  and 
crowned  with  feathery  ft)liage  ;  and  the  superb  tree- 
ferns  with  stems  twenty  feet  in  height.     One  of  his 
favorite  recreations  was  capturing  these  pompous 
cockatoos,  as  they  levied  contributions  on  his  father's 
corn. 

One  of  the  earliest  forms  of  self-help  which  the 
young  Tasmanian  developed  was  the  manufacture 
of  his  own  playthings.  There  were  no  toy-shops  on 
the  Macquarie  plains ;  yet,  wherever  the  European 
emigrant  may  pitch  his  tent,  the  game  of  marbles 
must  sharpen  the  eyes,  and  exercise  the  finger  skill, 
and  bring  out  the  acquisitive  rivalry  of  his  active 
lads.  Walter  and  his  brothers,  having  no  smooth 
"  stonies  "  or  polished  "  alleys,"  were  fain  to  make 
to  themselves  common  taws  of  clay,  rounded  by  the 
hand  and  hardened  in  the  fire.  One  day,  while  su- 
perintending the  latter  process,  Walter,  then  only 
five  years  old,  watched  his  work  too  closely,  and  one 
of  the  heated  pellets  flew  out  of  the  fire,  and  hit  him 


BOYHOOD   AND  ITS   STRUGGLES. 


13 


il 

II 


in  the  wide-open  eye,  depriving  it,  for  life,  of  all 
power  of  vision. 

Walter's  only  schoolfellows  and  playmates  were 
his  brothers  and  sisters,  and  the  two  or  three  set- 
tlers' children  who  came  to  his  mother's  scliool ; 
and  the  fields  and  woods  were  his  playground.  He 
had  no  education  but  that  which  his  parents  could 
find  time  to  give  him,  before  he  was  thirteen  years 
old.  Both  being  well  educated,  and  very  solicitous 
for  the  well-being  and  advancement  of  their  chil- 
dren, his  schooling  w^as,  to  its  small  extent,  thorough 
and  refined.  The  very  disadvantages  and  dangers 
of  his  position,  through  the  goodness  of  God,  and 
the  sensitive  watchfulness  of  his  parents,  liad  a  salu- 
tary effect  on  the  formation  of  his  character.  As 
none  but  convict  servants  could  be  procured,'^  his 
moral  surroundings,  outside  the  nursery,  w^ere  of  the 
most  perilous  description.  But  this  redoubled  the 
carefulness  of  his  mother  to  compass  him  daily  with 
moral  supports  and  restraints.  The  education  of 
young  Walter's  heart,  of  course,  mainly  devolved 
upon  her.     She  impressed  upon  him  high  moral 

*  At  that  time,  the  "  assignment  system  "  was  in  full  opera- 
tion. So  soon  as  a  shipload  of  criminals  reached  the  island,  most 
of  them  were  assigned  to  the  various  settlers,  mainly  as  domes- 
tic servants  and  farm  laborers.  The  principal  objects  of  this 
arrangement  were,  to  save  the  Government  the  expense  of  their 
keep  and  supervision,  to  utilize  their  labor  for  the  advantage  of 
the  colonists,  to  break  up  the  old  criminal  associations,  to  bring 
the  prisoners  into  healthy  contact  with  the  orderly  and  industri- 
ous population,  and  thus  give  them  the  best  and  earliest  chance 
of  self -recovery.  Their  masters  were  required  to  find  them  shel- 
ter, clothes,  and  bedding,  plenty  of  wholesome  food  in  regulated 
rations ;  and  they  found  their  own  fuel  in  the  woods. 


14 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


BOYHOOD  AND  ITS   STRUGGLES. 


15 


principles  and  sentiments  in  the  most  permanently 
effective,  because  the  most  pleasant  and  interesting, 
manner.  Almost  everything  was  done  at  home 
which  conld  be  attempted  to  awaken  thought,  to 
cultivate  the  affections,  and  inspire  him  with  a  rev- 
erence for  principle  and  piety.  This  was  his  safe- 
guard against  all  that  was  coarse  and  corrupting  iu 
his  inevitable  associations.  There  grew  up  in  his 
heart  a  most  reverent  affection  for  his  mother.  Fil- 
ial love  seemed  his  strong  anchor  to  hold  him  to 
purity  and  truth.  It  was,  throughout  life,  a  cause 
of  gratitude  to  him  that  he  had  escaped  the  con- 
taminating influences  which  encompassed  him  dur- 
ing his  most  impi*essible  years,  lie  heartily  wel- 
comed the  abolition  of  the  S3'stcm  of  transportation, 
although  the  colony  suffered  materially  from  the 
withdrawal  of  the  troops  and  the  great  diminution 
in  Government  expenditure.  Yet  he  was  every  inch 
of  him  a  lad,  a  thorough  child  of  the  bush;  and, 
like  many  other  fine-natured  boys,  was  a  strange 
combination  of  thoughtful ness  and  daring,  docility 
and  passion.  His  sense  of  wrong  or  insult  blazed 
out  into  uncontrollable  wrath.  Ou  one  occasion, 
this  impetuosity  of  indignation  very  nearly  proved 
fatal  to  himself  and  to  another.  Of  course,  the 
use  of  fire-arms  was  part  of  the  primary  educa- 
tion of  a  young  Tasmanian  emigrant.  lie  and  his 
brother  had  gained  permission  for  a  day's  shooting 
on  a  neighboring  estate.  The  keeper,  (as  he  is  there 
called,  the  ovei-seer,)  not  being  apprised  of  this,  met 
the  boys,  and  saluted  them  with  a  Greek  fire  of 
blasphemy  and  insolence,  a  genuine  specimen  of 


% 


convict  billingsgate.  The  high-spirited  lads,  instead 
of  soft  answers  and  speedy  explanations,  being,  most 
likely,  stung  to  the  cpiick  by  the  questioning  of  their 
word,  retorted  on  the  rough  ranger  in  his  own  tone. 
They  had  with  them  two  splendid  dogs,  loved  by  the 
boys  as  almost  members  of  the  family.  The  keeper 
having  spent  his  ammunition  of  abuse,  and  finding 
that  the  boys  were  not  to  be  silenced  or  terrified  by 
his  tongue,  divided  between  the  dogs  the  contents 
of  his  double-barrelled  gun.  Walter,  maddened 
with  rage  and  pity,  immediately  levelled  his  ow^n 
piece  at  the  keeper's  head,  and  snapped  the  trigger, 
with  full  intent  of  avenging  the  death  of  his  inno- 
cent dogs.  Happily,  the  report  which  drew  the 
keeper's  attention  to  their  presence  had  come  from 
"Walter's  gun,  and  his  piece  was  unloaded.  To  the 
end  of  life,  he  reckoned  it  amongst  his  special  mer- 
cies that  he  was  thus  saved  from  actual  homicide. 

But  though  he  passed  in  that  young  country  a 
free,  a  buoyant,  and  a  plucky  childhood,  his  father's 
straitened  means,  and  his  mother's  strained  anxiety 
to  provide  for  her  large  household  the  rough  com- 
forts of  a  settler's  home,  awoke  in  him  a  precocious 
forethought,  and  a  longing  for  the  productive  toils 
of  manhood,  that  he  might  be  helpful  to  his  parents, 
and  rebuild  the  shattered  fortunes  of  the  family. 
This  feeling  took  such  strong  possession  of  him,  as 
even  to  supplant  his  passionate  love  of  nature  and 
wild  woodland  freedom,  inspiring  him  with  a  deep 
preference  for  the  bustling  activities  of  city  life. 
Withal,  his  sensibilities  were  vivid,  and  his  comba- 
tiveness  abnormally  developed.     The  principles  of 


16 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


BOYHOOD   AND   ITS    STRUGGLES. 


17 


muscular  Christianity  seemed  to  be,  in  his  case,  a 
part  of  natural  religion.  lie  instinctively  acted  on 
tliat  adaptation  to  the  young  of  the  morality  of  the 
Sermon  on  the  Mount,  whicli  underlies  the  teachings 
of  the  "  Tom  Brown  "  school  of  theology :  "  If  a 
boy  smite  thee  on  the  one  cheek,  hit  him  on  the  other 
also.  And  if  he  compel  thee  to  run  a  mile,  make 
him  run  twain."  Had  he  lost  his  life  in  such  en- 
countei's,  a  martyrdom  which  lie  more  than  once 
narrowly  missed,  he  might  have  claimed  canoniza- 
tion. In  fact,  he  bore  throughout  life  the  stigmata 
of  this  bluff  saintship. 

lie  formed  the  fixed  resolve  of  retrieving  the  for- 
tunes of  the  family  by  all-conquering  energy  and 
industrv.  In  i^riviuii:  hcart-rooTU  to  this  noble  ambi- 
tion  he  laid  the  foundations  of  virtuous  success. 
Thereby  he  entertained  an  angel  "  unawares." 

How  different  were  the  surroundings  of  his  early 
childhood  from  those  of  a  city  or  country  boy  in 
his  native  land !  His  genuine  independence  of 
character,  his  marked  individuality,  and  the  strong 
simplicity,  which  is  the  very  antithesis  of  tamencss, 
were,  doubtless,  traceable,  in  part,  to  the  associations 
of  his  woodland  home.  Self-reliance,  circumspec- 
tion, boldness,  and  frugality,  were  some  of  the  valu- 
able lessons  learnt  in  the  mud  mansion  on  the  Mac- 
quarie  plains.  If  he  had  not  before  him  the  dread 
of  the  pedagogue's  ferule,  he  must  keep  a  sharp 
lookout  against  the  spear  of  the  hlaclcey  and  the 
bludgeon  of  the  bush-ranger. 

But  this  free,  out-door  life  was  of  too  brief  con- 
tinuance.    His  eagerness  to  be  helpful  to  his  parents 


did  not  long  remain  ungratified.     At  that  time,  1834, 
respectable  youths,  who  could  write  a  fair  hand, 
keep  simple  accounts,  and  be  trusted  with  sums  of 
money,  were  very  scarce  in  Tasmania.     Hence,  when 
only  twelve  years  old,  Walter  obtained  a  situation 
as  clerk,  in  the  office  of  Mr.  Francis  Evans,  mer- 
chant, in  the  port  of  Launceston,  the  northern  capi- 
tal of  the  island.     Launceston  is  beautifully  situated 
at  the   confluence   of   the   North    and    the   South 
Esk,  whi(;h  form  here  the  fine  tidal  river  Tamar. 
It  was  even  then  a  thriving  town  of  great  bustle 
and  commercial  activity,  though  bordered  by  the 
solitudes  of  the  primeval  forest.     Its  population  at 
that  time  was  over   two  thousand  ;  it   quadrupled 
during  the   eleven  years  of  \Yalter  Powell's  resi- 
dence there.     One  who  was  then  living  at  Launces- 
ton has  a  vivid  recollection  of   his  appearance   at 
that  time,  since,  in  a  small    and  new  community, 
every  respectable  arrival  is  an  object  of  keen  inter- 
est and  inspection.     He  is  described  as  very  thin 
and  thoughtful-looking. 

Here  his  position  tended  rather  to  deepen  than 
to  dissipate  his  habitual  reflectiveness.  Being  the 
only  business  employe  of  his  unmarried  mastei*,  who 
was  frequently  away  from  home,  and  took  little  in- 
terest in  or  notice  of  his  taciturn  boy-clerk,  his  sole 
companionship  was  that  of  a  man-servant,  who  had 
"  left  his  country  for  his  country's  good."  The  only 
incident  which  broke  the  monotony  of  his  desk  work 
here  was  the  accusation  of  having  embezzled  a 
missing  five-pound  note.  Without  waiting  to  deny 
the  charge,  he  ran  home  to  his  mother;   who,  re- 


18 


LIFE   OF  WALTEK  POWELL. 


turning  with  liim,  was  met  with  an  apology,  and 
the  information  that,  in  her  son's  absence,  the  mis- 
placed sum  had  reappeared. 

His  conduct   on   this  trying   occasion  showed   a 
marked  advance  in  self-control  from  the  day  when 
he  levelled  his  gun  at  the  gamekeeper.     Even  yet 
he  was  not  perfect,  according  to  Lord  Bacon's  acute 
comment  on  the  inspired  maxim :  "  A  soft  answer 
turneth  away  wrath."—"  This  teaches,  first,  that  an 
answer  should  be  7nade:'     Doubtless  Walter  could 
not  trust  himself  to  speak.     The  recollection  of  his 
narrow  escape  from  the  guilt  of  murder  must  liave 
acted  as  a  salutary  check.     Ilis  steadfast  resolve  to 
devote  himself  to  relieving  the  difficulties  of  his 
parents,  and  repairing  the  fortunes  of  his  family, 
sealed  his  lips  under  this  exquisite  provocation  ;  and 
surely  nothing  can  be  more  calculated  to  ignite  a 
high-spirited  ^  and  high-principled    youth  than  the 
sudden  charge  of  theft.     The  instinct  which   im- 
pelled him  at  once  to  seek  shelter  in  the  counsels  of 
his  mother  was  equally  honorable  to  both. 

He  was  condemned  to  this  uncompanioned  drudg- 
ery for  three  yeai-s.  At  the  end  of  that  period,  tlie 
death  of  a  rich  relative  closed  his  master's  office, 
and  Walter  was  transferred,  with  highly  favorable 
testimonials,  to  a  store  in  the  same  town,  that  of  Mr. 
Bell,  who  had  recently  resigned  a  government  ap- 
pointment, in  favor  of  that  which  all  the  early  ^ 
colonists  regarded  as  much  more  lucrative,  the  busi- 
ness of  an  auctioneer. 

Here  he  practised  at  the  desk  those  lessons  of 
laboriousness  which  he  had  learnt  in  the   forest 


) 


BOYHOOD    AND   ITS   STRUGGLES. 


19 


> 


1 


I 


clearings,  where,  if  anywhere,  the    proverb  holds 
good — 

*'  He  that  by  the  plough  would  thrive, 
Himself  must  either  hold  or  drive." 

He  kept  steadily  in  view  the  object  of  his  ambition  : 
to  rise  in  the  world,  and  to  raise  his  parents  with 
him,  by  sedulously  cnltivating  those  habits  which 
alone,  he  knew,  could  entitle  him  to  hope  for  that 
result.  Yet,  in  the  intervals  of  business,  the  wild 
spirit  of  the  woods  came  back  upon  him,  impelling 
him  to  feats  of  daring,  agility,  and  strength.  He 
bore  to  the  grave  several  marks  of  serious  injuries 
received  in  the  performance  of  these  risky  exploits. 
A  broad  scar  across  his  left  temple  was  the  memo- 
rial of  one  of  his  perilous  hazards  of  field  and  flood. 
He  was  expert  and  fearless  as  a  climber,  leaper, 
swimmer,  and  diver  ;  in  all  the  headlong  gymnas- 
tics which  seem  so  befitting  a  young  borderer  of  the 
unclaimed  wilderness.  To  one  of  these  adventurous 
attempts  was,  doubtless,  traceable  his  extremely 
precarious  state  of  health  throughout  the  remainder 
of  his  life,  if  not  his  comparatively  early  death. 
Although  a  spare  stripling,  his  muscularity  was 
highly  developed,  and  he  had  acquired  unbounded 
confiden(;e  in  his  own  agility  and  nerve.  As  he  was 
obliged  to  pass  a  great  part  of  his  time  with  those 
from  whom  he  could  gain  no  mental  or  moral  im- 
provement, he  learnt  from  them  all  they  had  to 
teach — physical  efficiency  and  animal  courage  and 
skill.  Among  the  servants  of  Mr.  Bell's  establish- 
ment, was  a  sort  of  unprofessional  Blondin,  whose 


1 


\t 


20 


LIFE   OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


achievements  Walter  was  very  ambitious  to  equal  or 
outdo.     One  of  these  was  to  leap  out  of  a  swing- 
boat,  such  as  are  seen  at  fairs,  whilst  at  its  highest 
pitch  of  velocity.     Walter,  having  often  seen^this 
done,  not  only  with  impunity,  but  with  ease  and 
grace,  concluded  that  what  man  had  done  man  could 
do.     lie  took    the   spring,   but  missing  the   exact 
second,   was   caught    by   the  returning   oscillation, 
twisted  violently,  and  tlirown  to  a  great  distance! 
The  result  was  not  only  a  severe  shock  to  the  ner- 
vous system,  but  an  injury  to  the  spine,  inducing 
severe  attacks  of  palpitation,  and  a  decided  stoop 
in  his  heretofore  erect  figure. 

These  traits  and  incidents  prove  plainly  that  his 
characteristic  considerateness  and  steadiness  did  not 
grow  out  of  a  tame  temperament  or  natural  timidity 
and  self-distrust.     One  can  scarcely  help  asking  to 
what  extent  this  occurrence  contributed  to  the  foi-- 
mation  of  his  character.     It  can  scarcely  be  called 
a  casualty,  being  rather  the  penalty  of  over-hardi- 
ness.    Whilst  it  aggravated  his  natural  licriness  of 
temperament  into  a  morbid  irritability,  which  be- 
came a  sad  trouble  to  himself,  and,  for  a  time,  to 
those  about  him,  it  must  have  tended  to  tone  down 
his  overweening  self-confidence,  and  could  not  but 
serve  as  a  perpetual  memento  mori. 

Mrs.  Bell  records  several  incidents  illustrative  of 
his  sensitive  integrity,  and  the  prompt,  impulsive, 
and  almost  imprudent  generosity,  which  contrasted 
^woi^  with  the  rigid  regularity  and  close  economy 
of  his  personal  habits.  One  day,  Mrs.  i^ell,  looking 
out  of  her  window,  saw  Walter  conversing  with  a 


BOYHOOD    AND   ITS   STEUGGLES. 


21 


i 


person,  who,  on  shaking  hands  at  parting,  slipped 
into  his  palm  at  parting  a  sum  of  money,  which 
Walter  instantly  flung  from  him  with  flushed  indig- 
nation.    On  inquiry,  she  found  that  the  individual 
had  asked  Walter  to  do  him  a  business  service,  the 
tnie  nature  of  which  was  first  betrayed  by  the  ofter 
of  money.     The  first  payment  he  received  in  Mr. 
Bell's   office   was   devoted    to   purchasing   for   his 
mother  a  sack  of  flour  and  a  chest  of  tea.      On 
another  occasion,  receiving  a  letter  from  his  married 
sister,  describing  the  distressing  difficulties  of  her- 
self and  husband,  as  pioneer  settlers  at  Port  Philip, 
he  at  once  laid  out  the  whole  of  his  savings  in  pro- 
curing for  them  a  dray  and  a  pair  of  horses,  and  in 
defraying  the  cost  of  shipment.     Nor  was  his  sym- 
pathy confined  within  the  circle  of   his  own  rela- 
tionship.    A  poor  man  lamenting  to  him  the  strait- 
ness  of  his  means  and  the  largeness  of  his  family, 
Walter  suggested  the  possibility  of  improviiig  his 
circumstances  by  starting  as  a  "  dealer."     The  man 
replied    hopelessly    that    the    start    required    ten 
pounds;    a    sum   which,  in  his   state   of  hand-to- 
mouth  dependence,  he  had  no  prospect  of  ever  pos- 
sessing.    Walter,  seeing  that  his  well-meant  advice 
had  served  only  to  make  the  poor  fellow  more  pain- 
fully sensible  of  his  utter  helplessness,  immediately 
gave  him  the  ten  pounds,  although  his  own  salary 
was  but  one  hundred  pounds  a  year. 

In  addition  to  many  fine  fruits  of  his  mother's 
high  moral  culture,  he  had  given  several  signs  of 
religious  thoughtfulness.  Mrs.  Bell  was  a  member 
of  the  Wesleyan  Church,  and  her  husband  devolved 


/    ; 


H 


22 


LIFE   OP  WALTER  POWELL. 


on  her  the  duty  of  conducting  family  worship.  She 
was  wont  to  read  a  portion  of  Scripture,  and  offer  a 
short,  extempore  prayer.  Wlien  the  young  clerk 
joined  the  establishment,  she  so  far  yielded  to  the 
diffidence  of  her  sex  as  to  leave  him  unapprised 
of  this  godly  usage  of  the  family.  On  learning  the 
fact,  however,  from  the  servants,  he  earnestly  so- 
licited the  privilege  of  attending,  which  the  lady, 
despite  her  natural  diffidence,  was  not  able  to  re- 
fuse. This  seriousness  was  further  manifested  by 
his  evincing  a  preference  for  the  more  direct  and 
searching  ministrations  of  the  Methodist  chapel,  to 
which  he  gradually  attached  himself,  although  he 
was  a  member  of  the  choir  at  church,  and  was  much 
cherished  on  account  of  his  superior  musical  gifts. 

Here,  then,  is  a  young  man  of  eighteen,  the  fos- 
ter-child of  the  forest,  whose  brief  boyhood  has 
passed  in  gentlemanly  poverty,  who  has  proved  the 
hardness  of  straitened  circumstances  without  their 
debasing  humiliations,  with  whom  correctness  of 
conduct  is  not  only  the  impress  of  the  high  morale 
of  his  secluded  homestead,  but  also  an  element  of 
good  breeding,  a  bright  badge  of  caste,  amidst  the 
helotry  of  crime.  He  has  learnt  self-help  and  self- 
reliance  from  the  necessities  of  his  position,  self- 
respect  and  self-control  from  the  glaring  miseries  of 
those  who  wanted  both ;  he  has  acquired  physical 
fearlessness  amidst  a  normal  state  of  danger,  and 
from  the  enforced  companionship  of  men  who  had 
little  else  to  teach;  he  is  by  temperament  high- 
spirited,  and  feels  in  his  veins  the  blood  of  an  Eng- 
lish gentleman  ;    he  is  lovable,  attractive,  nmsical. 


BOTHOOD  AND  ITS  STRUGGLES. 


23 


if 


He  has  in  him  "  the  makings  "  of  a  noble  character. 
One  cannot  fail  to  feel  some  interest  in  this  frank, 
generous  youth,  whom  filial  love  has  chained  to  the 
desk  ever  since  he  was  twelve  years  old.  What  will 
become  of  him  ?  Will  he  make  the  best  of  himself, 
the  best  of  life,  the  best  of  both  worlds  % 


CHAPTER  II. 


HIS   CONVEESION. 

The  severe  shock  to  his  system  and  the  serious 
spinal  injuries  which  young  Powell's  mishap  in  his 
attempted  gymnastic  feat  had  induced,  were  loug 
concealed  through  fear  of  their  effect  upon  his 
mother;  but  thetimefinally  came  when  farther  con- 
cealment was  impossible ;  he  was  very  ill,  and  his 
life  was  imperilled  from  the  injuries  he  had  re- 
ceived, and  his  whole  nervous  system  was  so  shat- 
tered that  it  rendered  him  excessively  irritable  and 
petulant.  He  went  home  in  the  hope  of  benefit, 
but,  restless  and  unhappy,  soon  returned  to  Laun- 
ceston,  it  was  feared,  to  die. 

His  habits  up  to  this  time  had  been  correct:  he 
was  well-disposed,  energetic,  persevering,  free  from 
the  vices  common  to  young  men,  liable,  indeed,  to 
occasional  outbursts  of  temper  on  comparatively 
trifling  provocati(m  ;  but,  on  the  whole,  a  moral  and 
well-bred  young  man.  But  as  he  stood  face  to  face 
with  death,  and  began  to  look  beyond  the  narrow 
bounds  of  time,  he  began  to  see  with  far  clearer 
vision  than  ever  before,  how  imperfect  and  worth- 
less was  his  own  righteousness  ;  how  entirely  inade- 
quate to  his  salvation  were  his  best  deeds,  and  that 
unless  Jesus  would  undertake  for  him  he  must  be 


HIS   CONVERSION. 


25 


}' 


lost  forever.     He  was  not  ignorant,  theoretically,  of 
the  way  of  salvation.     Though  at  his  boyish  home 
there  were  no  churches  or  religious  meetings,  he 
had  ever  since  his  residence  in  Launceston  been  a 
regular  attendant  upon  the  services  of  the  Estab- 
lished Church  until  a  few  months  previous,  when  he 
had  begun  to  go^to  the  Wesleyan  chapel  with  Mrs. 
Bell ;  li^t  impossibly  drawn  thither,  also,  by  hisregard 
for  Miss  Annie  Bell,  her  daughter,  who  afterward  be- 
came his  wife.     He  had  also  been  uniformly  preseiit 
at  family  worship,  and  had  listened  to  Mrs.  BelFs 
fervent  prayers  for  his  conversion. 

Kow,  however,  for  a  long  time  he  was  unable  to 
visit  the  house  of  God.     There  was  just  then  be- 
ginning in  Launceston  that  great  revival  which  lasted 
eight  years,  and  which  was  so  all-pervading  in  its  influ- 
eifce  for  good  in  Tasmania  ;  a  work  of  divine  grace 
in  which  all,  high  and  low,  the  moral  and  exemplary 
free  settler,  and  the  most  depraved  and  vicious  con- 
vict, were  pressing  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
This  revival  was  confined  to  no  denomination ;  all 
experienced  its  blessed  effects.     Perhaps  the  most 
simple  yet  graphic  descriptions  of  its  power  and  ex- 
tent, are   to  be  found  in   two  interesting  volumes 
written  by  members  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  who 
had  been  sent  out  thither  by  the  English   Yearly 
Meetings,  and  were  eye-witnesses  of  the  work  of 

Divine  grace."''' 

From  any  personal  participation  in  this  blessed 

*  Backhouse's  "Narrative  of  a  Visit  to  the  Australian  Colo- 
nies," and  "Life  and  Labors  of  George  Washington  Walker," 
both  admirable  works. 
2 


26 


LIFE   OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


4^ 


season  of  refresliing,  young  Powell  was  at  this  time 
cut  off  by  his  illness.  Ihit  Ood,  who  is  rich  in 
nierey,  had  thoughts  of  love  towards  this  poor  friiil 
lad.  It  pleased  llini  to  bring  him  into  IJis  king- 
dom and  make  him  one  of  the  pillai-s  in  the  House 

of  God. 

After  a  long  struggle  with  wasting  disease  and 

racking  pain,  he  began  to  improve,  but  very  slowly 
at  Urst,  and  still  suffering  from  severe  prostration 
and  great  depression  of  spirits.  At  that  time  Rev. 
Nathaniel  Turner  was  the  superintendent  of  the 
Launceston  Circuit,  a  man  of  the  most  apostolic 
character  and  devotion,  to  whose  trials,  labors,  and 
successes  thousands  of  all  denominations  could  bear 
testimony.  He  had  labored  first  as  a  Home  ^Jis- 
sionary  in  England,  and  in  1823  had  accepted  an 
appointment  to  New  Zealand,  where  in  the  follow- 
ing year  he  planted  the  first  AVeslcyan  missionary 
station  at  Wcslevdale,  in  the  midst  of  the  Muories. 
After  he  had  lived  and  toiled  amongst  them  for 
more  than  three  years,  his  house  was  attacked  and 
burnt  by  a  party  of  natives,  his  goods  stolen,  his 
dead  (.-hild  disinterred,  and  he  and  his  wife  and 
household,  barely  cs(;aping  with  life,  fled  by  niglit 
to  the  Kerl-Keri,  where,  after  hn-king  for  a  while, 
they  were  picked  up  by  a  ship  bound  to  Sydney. 
Mr.  Turner  subsequently  labored  in  the  Friendly 
Islands,  where  he  remained  until  1831,  when  his 
health  broke  down  under  excessive  toils.  After 
resting  a  few  months  in  New  South  Wales,  ho  re- 
moved to  Tasmania,  wliere  for  five  years  he  preached 
the  Gospel  with  great  success.      In   183G,  he  re- 


HIS  CONVERSION. 


27 


4 


turned  to  New  Zealand,  and  devoted  three  more 
years  to  his  old  enemies,  the  Maories,  and  was  then 
retransferred  to  Tasmania.  Here  his  ministrations 
were  remarkably  successful. 

It  was  to  this  devoted  servant  of  Christ,  that  God 
had  committed  the  great  privilege  of  bringing  Wal- 
ter Powell  to  see  the  jjlague  of  his  own  heart  and 
the  efficacy  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  to  save  him  from 
sin.  He  came  to  him  while  he  was  still  looking 
death  in  the  face,  prayed  with  him,  (conversed  with 
him,  showed  him  the  value  and  worth  of  his  soul, 
that  soul  for  wliich  Jesus  had  died,  that  soul  from 
which  the  blood  of  Jesus  alone  could  wash  away 

sin. 

While  the  vouno:  man  trembled  with  awe  and 
terror  at  God's  power,  at  the  unutterable  value  of 
his  own  immortal  spirit,  and  its  imminent  peril  of 
being  forever  lost,  Mr.  Turner  led  him  to  Christ ; 
taught  him  that  God  so  loved  not  the  woi-ld  alone, 
but  Walter  Powell  individually,  that  He  had  given 
His  beloved  and  only-begotten  Son,  that  he  should 
not  perish  but  have  eternal  life;  that  the  gift  of 
Christ  was  pei-sonal  to  him,  if  he  would  only  be- 
lieve ;  and  opened  to  him  the  way  of  faith  more 

perfectly. 

AValter  Powell  received  this  blessed  message  as  a 
revelation  from  God,  and  walked  forth  from  his 
sick  room  a  changed  and  converted  man.  From 
henceforth,  he  was  not  his  own,  but  Christ's.  A 
change  deeper  and  more  searching  than  that  wliich 
death  is  able  to  effect,  a  change  pervading  and 
permeating  every  fibre  of  his  behig,  his  intellect, 


28  LIFE   OF   WALTKR  POWELL. 

soul,  and  body,  had  passed  over  his  spirit,  and  made 
him  a  new  man  in  Christ  Jesus. 

But   though   converted,  he  was  not  yet  pe.fect 
The  traces  of  the  old  hot  nature,  the  -tlessuess  of 
impaired  health,  the  temptations  to  «"-.  »     -uf^^^^^ 
word,  and  deed,  were  still  present  -'^    '»  "';'  ^^; 
to  the  e.>d  of  life,  he  must  struggle  with  the  lem.uus 

°';;t:'r^erblessing  to  Walter  Powell  that  the 
revivllof  which  we  have  already  spoken,  wluch 
pervaded  all  the  Australasian  Colon.es  and  contn  - 
ed  in  Launceston  at  least,  for  eight  pars,  was  s 
n   pro-^ress,  when  "this  miracle  of  hea  n,g,     th  s 
restm-atlon  of  the  body  from  apprehended  death, 
Ind  rescue  of  the  spirit  from  the  bondage  of  sm, 
and  icscue  i ^^epared  to  enter  upon  its  holy    , 

took  place,     lie  was  prep<iiLu  ^ 

services  and  its  sacred  feasts  with  dc hght  and  the 
sea vd^n.^  discoui.es  and  exhortations  then  dehvered 
W  hhn  to  an  habitual  and  rigid  self-examnuiUou 
a'fd   elf-Lipline,  which,  though  in  a  man  of  d.ffe  - 
Zt     mperament  it  might  l-->f 'f  .-J^^t 
pression  and  despondency,  was,  m  '»"'    '^      ^'^^ 
Ln  of  a  substantial  and  very  consistent  and  uiuto,  m 
Xistlan  life.    His  self-examination  and  self-di  ci- 
Sne  dW  nottenninate  in  self;  while  it  levealcd 
C     im  hi^  errors  and  faults,  and  led    urn  to  be 

of  help  and  pardon.  ^nnceston  was  of  a 

The  ei-ht  yeai-s'  revival  at  Launceston  vn 
Iiie  eij^iit  ^  Tasmanian  standard 

cenninc  and  genial  knid.     lue  xa< 

^  ,  „f  fUo  "free  iiopulation,     as  lue 

of  morals  amongst  the      nee  ^^^ 


HIS  CONVERSION. 


29 


•^  ! 


non-convict  inhabitants  were  called,  was  qnite   as 
liigh  as  that  of  the  mother  country;  the  average 
intellectual  culture  was  decidedly  higher.     The  free 
settlers  seem  to  have  regarded  external  decorum  as 
an  indispensable  badge  of  distinction  between  them 
and  the  criminal  population,  and  they  were  mostly 
of   the  intelligent  and  oi-derly  middle-class,  men 
with  less  capital  than  brains  and  energy.     Every- 
body's antecedents  had  to  be  closely  scrutinized  be- 
fore  admission  into   respectable  society.     But  the 
moral  and  religious  condition  of  the  convict  popula- 
tion was  appalhng,  and  the  free  population  seemed 
intent  on  compensating  themselves  for  their  aban- 
donment of  country  and  kindred  and  the  disadvan- 
tages of  their  new  position  by  the  rapid  realization 
of\ealth.     The  style  of  preacliing  adopted  by  the 
missionaries  may  be  gathered  from  Walter  Poweirs 
diary.     He  kept  a  record  of  their  texts,  often  add- 
ing  an  outline  of  their  sermons.     These  were  ad- 
mirably adapted  to  the  circumstances  and  spiritual 
requirements  of    their  audience ;    e,  g.,  "  Sow   to 
yourself  in  righteousness,  reap  in  mercy,  break  up 
your  fallow  ground  :  for  it  is  time  to  seek  the  Lord, 
till   He   come  and  rain   righteousness  upon  you." 
"  Because  thou  hast  forgotten  the  God  of  Thy  salva- 
tion, and  hast  not  been  mindful  of  the  rock  of  thy 
strength,  therefore  shalt  thou  plant  pleasant  plants, 
and  shalt  set  it  witli  strange  slips  :  in  the  day  shalt 
thou  make  thy  plant  to  grow,  and  in  the  morning 
shalt  thou  make  thy  seed  to  flourish :  but  the  liar- 
vest  shall  be  a  heap  in  the  day  of  grief  and  of  des- 
perate sorrow."  (Isai.  xvii.  10,  11.)     "  Whoso  cover- 


30 


LIFE   OF   WALTEPw   POWELL. 


+ 


etli  his  sin  shall  not  prosper,  but  whoso  confesseth 
and  forsakcth  his  sin  shall  lind  mercy."  "How 
shall  we  escape, if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation?'' 
"  I  came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to 

repentance." 

Mr.  Backhouse  gives  the  following  specimen  of 
this  wise  adaptation  of  the  style  of  preaching  to  the 
circumstances  of  the  hearers  :  "  We  had  a  meeting 
in  the  Wesleyan  chapel,  in  which  the  people  were 
reminded  of   the  time  when,  by  attending  to   the 
convictions  of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  their  own  con- 
sciences, they  perceived  their  h)st  state ;  and  that 
their  hearts  were  occupied  by  sin,  when  they  were 
also  brought  to  repentance,  and  found  peace  through 
faith  in  Christ ;  made  a  profession  of  religion,  and 
brought  forth  fruits  of  righteousness.     This  process 
was  then  compared  with  that  of  their  taking  pos- 
session of  the  land  they  are  occupying,  and  clear- 
ing it,  by  felling  and  burning  off  the  timber  and  the 
scrub,  the  natural  and  unprofitable  produce  of  the 
earth,  and  fencing  and  cultivating  the  land.     They 
were  then  desired  to  reflect  upon  the  condition  to 
which  such  land  soon  returns,  if  neglected ;  and  to 
consider  how  soon,  according  to  their  own  knowl- 
edge, it  again  becomes  covered  with   forest  and 
scrub,  so   as  only  to  be  distinguishable   from  '  the 
wild  bush '  by  the  remains  of  the  fence.     From  this 
they  were  urged  to  remember  that,  without  a  con- 
stant care  to  keep  their  own  hearts  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Holy  Spirit,  they,  in  a  similar  way, 
would   soon  again  l)ecome  unprofltable,  and  over- 
grown with  sin  ;  notwithstanding  they  might  retain 


HIS   COXVEKSION. 


31 


the  appeai-ance  of  a  fence  against  evil,  in  some  re- 
maining profession  of  religion.  This  appeal  was 
not  without  effect.  One  man  acknowledged  to  us, 
that  he  w^as  already  sensible  of  some  measure  of 
relapse  into  the  sinful  state  that  had  been  spoken 
of." 

-  Such  were  the  subjects  which  these  earnest  men 
pressed  home  upon  the  consciences  of  colonists  and 
convicts,  whom  they  had  followed  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth  for  the  one  purpose  of  bringing  them  to  God. 
Sabbath  after  Sabbatii  they  assaulted  the  "  strong- 
holds "  of  immorality  and  indifference.  Every 
successive  sermon  fell  like  the  blow  of  a  battering- 
ram  upon  the  embattled  mass  of  prejudice,  insensi- 
bility, and  evil  habit.  It  could  not  but  be  that  a 
vibration  was  communicated  to  the  dead  wall,  which 
at  length  threw  it  off  the  perpendicular,  and  brought 
it  to  the  ground.  But  it  was  not  only  the  message, 
but  the  spirit  and  the  manner  of  these  devoted 
ministers,  which  told  so  effectively  upon  their  hear- 
ers. They  themselves  never  lost  sight  of  the  fact, 
and  they  never  allowed  the  audience  to  forget  it, 
that  they  had  forsaken  Fatherland,  and  tracked  the 
outcast,  the  exile,  and  the  emigi-ant,  with  but  one 
object ;  and  that  not  the  extension  of  a  system,  but 
the  salvation  of  souls.  Hence  there  was  a  fearful 
I'eality  in  their  warnings,  an  impassioned  ardor  in 
their  appeals,  a  tempestuous  enthusiasm  in  their 
pleadings  for  Christ.  They  seized  the  hesitating 
sinner  with  an  awful  urgency,  and  put  forth  the 
utmost  pressure  of  persuasion.  They  were  like  the 
tender-hearted  angels,  sent  to  snatch  Lot  and   his 


32 


LIFE   OF   WALTEK   POAVELL. 


family  from  tlie  Bulphur-etorm  of  Sodom  ;  wlio 
wlion  Lot  lingered  "  laid  hold  upon  his  hand  and 
upon  the  liand  of  his  wife,  and  upon  the  hand  of  his 
two  daughters,  tlie  Lord  being  merciful  unto  them  ; 
and  said,  Escape  for  thy  life  ;  look  not  behind  thee, 
neither  stay  thou  in  all  the  plain  ;  escape  to  the 
•nountain,  lest  thou  be  consumed." 

But  Walter  Powell,  though  tlioroughly  changed, 
struggled  slowly  into  the  clear  light  of  the  Gospel. 
There  hnng  about  him  for  some  months  a  percepti- 
ble gloominess  and  sadness.  Tliis  was,  doubtless, 
partly  owing  to  external  causes.  His  health  was 
Btill  feeble  and  precarious.  Many  family  matters 
tended  to  depress  him.  His  father's  business  career 
was  made  up  of  flattering  successes  and  dishearten- 
ing failures — fat  years  eaten  up  by  lean.  Then 
followed,  in  quick  succession,  the  death  of  father, 
mother,  and  favorite  sister.  The  "-  shaft  fell  thrice." 
Then  the  tide  of  connnercial  prosperity  began  to 
ebb  apace.  The  stream  of  emigration  to  the  new 
colony  of  Victoria,  which,  at  iirst,  had  given  a 
strong  impulse  to  the  trade  of  Tasmania,  now  began 
to  drain  the  island  of  the  sources  of  its  wealth.  The 
market  for  the  staple  commodities,  wool  and  grain, 
became  unprecedented ly  depressed;  many  of  the 
principal  houses  failed  ;  many  more  wxre  in  extreme 
difficulties;  all  were  despondent  and  perplexed. 
Above  all,  the  disease  which  had  so  nearly  proved 
fatal,  left  behind  it  an  extreme  nervous  irritability  ; 
which,  superinduced  upon  his  natural  warmth  and 
quickness  of  temper,  was  the  occasion  of  incessant 
self-conflict    and    self-reproach.     But  the   deepest 


HIS  CONVERSION. 


33 


mi 


source  of  his  despondency  was  his  difiiculty  in  real- 
izing Christ  as  his  present  and  pei-fect  Saviour,  the 
ground  of  his  happy  relations  with  God,  and  the 
fountain  of  all  spiritual  strcngtli.  At  last,  however, 
the  darkness  passed,  and  the  true  light  shone ;  and 
he  began  to  live  a  life  of  faith  on  the  Son  of  God, 
who  loved  him,  and  gave  Himself  for  him. 

Immediatelv  on  his  connectincr  himself  with  the 
Church,  he  began  that  system  of  proportionate  giv- 
ing by  which  he,  for  the  rest  of  his  life,  '^  honored 
the  Lord  with  "  his  "  substance,  and  wdth  the  first- 
fruits  of  all"  his  "increase."  Mrs.  Bell  as-ain  re- 
lates :  "  Shortly  after  his  union  w4th  the  Church,  he 
commenced  reading  the  Bible  through  consecu- 
tively. On  reaching  the  twenty-eighth  chapter  of 
Genesis,  he  was  struck  with  Jacob's  dedication  of  a 
tenth  of  all  the  Lord  might  bless  him  with  to  His 
own  service.  lie  told  me  that  he  had  determined 
to  do  the  same." 

The  commercial  difficulties  of  the  colony,  at  tliis 
period,  touching  as  they  did  Walter  Powell's  em- 
ployer amongst  the  rest,  brought  out  finely  the  nobil- 
ity of  the  young  convert's  nature.  "Giving  dili- 
gence," he  added  to  "  his  faith  virtue."  A  co-inmate 
of  the  house  testifies:  "lie  put  forth  his  utmost 
energies.  He  worked  like  a  slave  in  the  quantity, 
though  not  in  the  spirit,  of  his  work.  He  would 
toil  far  into  the  night.  He  even  went  so  far  as  to 
insist  on  the  reduction  of  his  own  salary,  as  he  saw 
that  the  business  could  not  justify  its  present 
amount."  He  devotedly  attached  himself  to  the 
impaired  fortunes  of  his  principal,  quietly  replying 

a* 


34 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


to  the  admonitions  of  worldly  wisdom,  "  I  know 
that  my  employer  is  my  friend,  and  that  liis  inten- 
tions towards  me  were  liberal ;  he  took  me  when  I 
was  at  a  loss  for  employment,  and  I  shall  not  leave 
him  till  I  see  him  re-established."  He  undertook  at 
the  same  time  the  work  which  had  heretofore  been 
divided  between  two. 

"Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant;  thou 
wast  faithful  in  a  few  things."  This  was  the  man 
who,  when  wealth  came,  knew  how  to  make  the 
best  use  of  it. 


4 


CHAPTEK  III. 

THE   DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   CHRISTIAN   LIFE. 

Amidst  this  expatriated  community,  who  were 
either  working  out  their  terms  of  penal  servitude,  or 
straining  every  energy  to  build  up  a  fortune  in  as 
short  a  time  as  possible,  young  Powell  was  stren- 
uously working  at  and  working  out  his  "  own  salva- 
tion with  fear  and  trembling ; "  was  building  up  a 
Christian  character,  and  steadily  and  successfully 
educating  himself  for  effective  service  in  the  Church 
of  God,  and  for  the  nobler  society  and  offices  of 
heaven. 

Immediately  upon  his  convei-sion,  Walter  Powell 
made  it  the  one  aim,  anxiety,  and  ambition  of  his 
life  to  attain  "  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  ful- 
ness of  Christ " — in  feebler  modern  phraseology,  to 
be  a  thorough  Christian.  What  appliances  did  he 
use  to  accomplish  this  object  ?  To  what  extent  was 
he  successful  ?  What  exact  tj^pe  of  Christian  char- 
acter— so  uniform  in  its  basis,  so  multiform  in  its 
individual  manifestations — came  out  from  his  spe  • 
cial  ])ersonality,  acted  upon  by  the  special  culture  to 
which  he  was  voluntarily  subjected  ?  Happily,  we 
have  ample  materials  for  answering  these  questions. 
Simplicity  and  earnestness  put  him  upon  a  shrewd, 
business-like  mode  of  conducting  the  affairs  of  his 


86 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


h) 


Boul,  and  suggested  the  obvious  expedient  of  keep- 
ing a  journal. 

This  journal,  in  eleven  folio  volumes,  admits  us  to 
his  deepest  confidence,  and,  allowing  for  occasional 
breaks,  makes  us  familiar  with  his  spiritual  history 
and  his  daily  occupations  during  the  latter  half  of 
his  life,  the  twenty-three  years  stretching  from  Janu- 
ary 7th,  1844,  to  November  13th,  1867.     To  those 
who  knew  Mr.  Powell  as  a  business  man,  this  in- 
tense and  persistent  self-scrutiny  seems  prodigious. 
Let  those  call  it  morbid  who  can  match  its  healthy 
and  robust  results.     Doubtless,  in  conjunction  with 
all   his   other  labors,  it  shortened   the  earthly  life 
which  it  intensified  and  refined.     It  was  part  of  the 
reality  and  energy  of  his  character.     It  is  invalua- 
ble as  enabling  us  to  watch  the  unfolding  of  his 
spiritual  life  and  to  carry  forward  the  context  of  his 
spiritual  history.     It  shows,  fii-st  of  all,  the  decisive- 
ness of  his  Christianity,  how  manfully  he   braced 
himself  for  the  noble  gymnastics  of  godliness,  and 
the  secret  discipline  of  holy  life.     It  proves  the 
sincerity  with  which  he  had  renounced  a  self-pleas- 
ing life,  the   steadiness  with  which  he  pulled   up 
stream  heavenwards,  taking  his  bearings  and  noting 
his  progress  with  keen-sighted  accuracy.     He  could 
not  bear  a  slovenly,  indefinite  mode  of  conducting 
the  most  important  of  all  his  affairs,  the  interests  of 
his  soul.     He  carefully  notes   slight   relapses,  sets 
himself  to  stub  out  "  roots  of   bitterness,"  which 
"springing  up"  might  "trouble"  him,  detects  the 
swerving  or  the  slackening  of  his  will,  any  clouding 
of  his  conscience,  or  overcasting  of  his  religious  joys. 


THE   DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE  CHRISTIAN   LIFE.        37 


i 


His  diary  shows  how  day  after  day  lays  in  another 
touch,  and  tones  or  fixes  the  coloring  of  his  charac- 
ter. 

On  the  first  Sunday  in  1844,  he  commenced  this 
"  Journal,"  describing  to  himself  its  object  on  the 
fly-leaf :  "  With  the  view  of  recording  events  which 
may  prove  interesting  in  the  future,  and  of  correct- 
ing those  failings  and  erroi-s  which  may  be  hinder- 
ing the  writer's  course."     This  diary  was,  in  fact, 
simply  an   expedient  of    conscientious   self-insi)ec- 
tion  and  self -culture.     The  purpose  which  we  hope 
it  will  now  serve,  that  of  instructing  and  stimulat- 
ing others,  and  marking  the  gradual  building  up  of 
a  Christian  manhood,  obviously  never  entered  the 
writers  mind.     The  light  in  which  he  regarded  it  is 
seen  from  such  entries  as  the  followin<r.     After  an 
unusual   hiatus,  he  writes,  "  Since   the   above  lines 
were  written,  I  have  to  lament  my  indifference  to 
my  journal,  in  having  allowed  nearly  six  weeks  to 
elapse  without  recording  many  interesting  events 
which  have  occurred  during  that  period.     May  the 
Lord  help  me  to  persevere  in  constantly  examining 
my  heart,  and  noting  my  experience,  and  may  my 
path  be  that  of  the  just."     Again,  "More  than  a 
month  has  flown  since  I  last  wrote  in  my  journal. 
It  may  be  said  in  reference  to  this  dutv,  as  has  been 
said  of  prayer, '  AVhat  various  hindrances  we  meet!' 
and  the  old  motto  might  also  in  this  case  be  justly 
applied,  '  Where  there  is  a  will  there  is  a  way.'" 
Again,  "  I  know  not  how  to  write  in  this  neglected 
journal.     If  it  were  not  for  the  goodness  of  God, 
which  leads  me  to  repent,  I  could  not  bear  the 


38 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


thought  of  committing  the  present  fitate  of  my  mind 
to  paper.  Oh  give  me  u  disposition  and  persever- 
ance to  record  Thy  dealings  with  me  continually  ! " 
The  entries  manifest  all  the  "  simplicity  and  godly 
sincerity"  whi(!h  befit  such  mementos.  We  mnst 
quote  a  few  of  the  earliest : 

"Sunday,  January  7th,  1844. — I  arose  late  this 
mornini]^,  and  felt  c^reat  condemnation  in  conse- 
quesice ;  for  we  hold  a  prayer-meeting  on  Sabbath 
mornings,  at  six  o'clock,  for  the  purpose  of  suppli- 
cating God's  blessing  on  our  labors  as  Sunday-school 
teachers.  I,  by  my  slothfulness,  lost  this  favorable 
opportunity.  The  more  I  teach  childi'en,  the 
greater  impossibility!  find  in  doing  it  effectually 
without  first  obtaining  wisdom  and  simplicity  from 
God.     After  being  engaged  in  the  school  till  twelve, 

I  called  on  R.  B ,  who  was  so  reduced  as  not  to 

be  able  to  speak  without  fii'st  wetting  his  tongue. 
He  could  not  confidently  say  that  God  had  pardoned 
his  sins  ;  but  he  hoped  so.  May  his  faitli  be  so  in- 
creased as  to  attain  nnto  *  the  hlessedness  of  the  man 
whose  transgression  is  forgiven  and  whose  sin  is 
covered!'  In  the  evening,  after  service,  the  So- 
ciety entered  into  solemn  covenant  with  the  Lord, 
and  the  sacrament  was  administered  by  the  Eevs. 
K.  Turner  and  II.  Gaud.  People  and  ministers 
appeared  solemnly  and  deeply  affected.  May  the 
impressions  not  be  like  the  morning  cloud  ! " 

"Monday,  8th. — Attended  the  love-feast  this 
evening,  and  was  refreshed.  We  all  felt  that  *  as 
iron  sharpeneth  iron,  so  doth  the  countenance  of  a 
man  his  friend,'  and  went  on  our  *  way  rejoicing.' 


THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


39 


I 


I  called  again,  with  two  friends,  on  U.  B— -,  who 
appeared  drawing  very  near  to  death  Our  hearts 
were,  for  the  first  time,  gladdened  by  his  declarmg 
that  he  believed  God  had  forgiven  him.  We  prayed 
with  the  dying  man.  He  expired  still  professing 
faith  in  his  Redeemer."  ,     .  -.  ^ 

"  Tuesday,  9th.-The  quarterly  watch-night  was 

^'i  Wednesday,  lOth.-A  few  of  the  ^^unger 
brethren  were  constrained  to  offer  the  Rev.  K  Tur- 
ner a  token  of  our  gratitude.  Reading  Archbishop 
Jeffries'    Charges    'Against    Custom    and    I  ublic 

^^' Tuesday,  January  IGth.-Attended  as  clerk,  Mr. 
Bell's  sale  of  land.  Was  struck  with  the  covetous- 
ness  which  exhibited  itself  in  my  heart,  in  wishing 
to  obtain  that  which  could  have  proved  of  no  use  to 
me  Thomas  Blackleach  roused  me  from  my  dream 
by  reminding  me  that  we  should  soon  have  to  part 
with  all  earthly  possessions.  I  know  that  my  life  is 
especially  uncertain."  ^ 

The  lollowing  entry  illustrates  the  simplicity  and 
sweetness  of  his  child-like  confidence  in  God.  A 
lonely  ride  through  the  bush,  in  1844,  when  he 
bush-rangers  were  perpetrating  the  most  horrible 
atrocities  to  which  suffering  and  despair  could  drive 
escaped  convicts  carried  away  by  demoniac  passions, 
required  no  little  courage.  .     ,  ,      . 

-  Wednesday,  I7th.-Was  at  Longford,  havmg  set 
out  on  the  Tuesday  evening.  I  felt  great  confidence 
in  the  God  of  Providence  while  riding,  for  I  knew 


40 


LIFE   OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


that  the  hairs  of  my  head  were  all  numbered.     I 
felt  that  '  a  horse  is  a  vain  thiun;  for  safety.'  " 

The  next  extracts  indicate  his  decision  of  charac- 
ter, the  often-foiled  but  never-intermitted  struLji^le 
to  be  wholly  the  Lord's.  Alluding  to  a  popular  and 
fashionable  amusement  of  which  he  had  heretofore 
been  passionately  fond,  he  writes  : 

"January  19th. — I  am  truly  grateful  that  I  feel 
no  disposition  to  mingle  in  those  things  which  do 
not  belong  to  my  peace.  I  felt  grateful  to  my  Re- 
deemer that,  although  my  feet  were  once  swift  in 
following  a  multitude,  they  now  are  turned  unto 
the  way  of  His  testimonies.  Felt  at  the  (;lass-meet- 
iuij  that  an  hour  in  the  service  of  God  is  worth  a 
whole  life  spent  in  those  occupations  which  would 
monopolize  the  name  of  pleasure.  Must  lay  to 
heart  a  remark  of  our  leader  that  we  can  teach  far 
more  by  our  conduct  than  by  precept.  Oh  that  there 
were  more  of  good  silent  practice  !  " 

On  this  point,  a  gentleman,  who  lived  in  constant 
intercourse  with  him  at  that  time,  writes  thus : 
"We  both  had  to  work  hard,  and  had  longjiours. 
We  neither  of  ns  allowed  ourselves  to  seek  pleasure 
for  pleasure's  sake.  Dancing,  etc.,  we  regarded  as 
worldly,  and  partaking  of  sin  ;  therefore  to  be 
avoided  by  those  who  had  to  work  out  their  salva- 
tion. I  can  only  recollect  going  out  with  him  on 
one  excursion  partaking  of  the  nature  of  pleasure- 
seeking,  and  this  was  bathing  with  three  or  four 
others.  He  only  could  swim.  I  was  impressed 
then  with  his  sweet  unostentatiousness,  under  cir- 


^ 


THE  DEVELOPl^IENT   OF   THE   CHKI6TIAN   LIFE.        41 

cumstances  offering  to  a  young  man  temptation  to 

pride  and  display."  TTnrriq'a 

^"Sunday,    21st.-I     continue    reading    Harns 8 

^  Mammon.'  I  intend,  by  the  grace  a"^  .^^--"f  ^^^ 
God  to  put  some  of  its  advice  into  practice,  feeling 
eonv'inced  that  no  man  can  serve  two  masters;  and 
bow  possible  it  is  to  worship  ido  s,  and  -t  know  . 
Mr  II  Reed  *  preached  this  day,  or  rather  dis- 
coursed, on  the  duties  of  parents,  children,  and  ser- 

vants."  -      1  •  1   1  „« 

"  March  27th.-The  part  of  this  month  which  has 

BOW  passed  away  forever  I  cannot  look  back  upon 

with  satisfaction.     Through  the  press  of  business, 

my  mind  has  been  constantly  in  a  state  of  nervous 

excitement,   and   even  to  this  my  little  jonrnal    I 

could  not  settle  down  steadily  enough.     How  hard 

it  is  to  continue  steadfast  in  any  pursuit !     1  et  the 

men  who  have  risen  to  eminence  are  those  who  were 

persevering.     I  find  that  my  little    journal    was 

nearly  falfing  to  the  ground  for  want  of  this  virtue. 

So  difficult  it  is  to  bring  the  mind  to  examine  past 

circumstances.     They  appear  to  have  little  interest 

in  one's  eager  anticipation  of  the  future.  Lord,  help 

me  so  to  number  rruj  days,  that  I  may  apply  my 

heart  unto  wisdom." 

"  April  22d.— In  the  evening  attended  the  prayer- 
meetincr.  Was  strengthened,  but  afterwards  much 
condemned,  for  yielding  to^^  bad  temper  towards 
some  members  of  the  family." 

"April  23d.— Received   a  letter  from  my  best 

*  His  future  London  partmer. 


42 


LIFE  OF  WALTETJ  POWELL. 


•i 


earthly  friend,  cautioning  me,  with  much  Christian 
kindness  and  love,  against  yielding  to  iny  niorose- 
Tiess  of  disposition.  I  know  the  grace  of  Gcd  is 
alone  sufficient,  and  to  llini  nnist  1  apply  for  the 
utter  expulsion  of  this  unchristian  tendency." 

"  24th. — At  a  sale.  Found  the  conversation, 
jokes,  etc.,  of  a  most  corrupting  nature.  Oh  that  I 
may  ever  watch  and  pray  for  that  grace  which  will 
enable  me  to  withstand,  when  the  enemy  comes  in 

like  a  flood ! " 

''  Sunday,  28th.— This  morning,  I  grieve  to  say, 
was  partly  lost  through  slothfulness.  I  made  a 
resolution,  and  prayed  for  Divine  grace  to  enable 
me  to  overcome  this  evil  habit.  Felt  very  happy  in 
teaching  the  children." 

"  Monday,  29th.— How  soon  do  the  impressions 
of  the  Sabbath  vanish  !  Ought  it  to  be  so  ?  Will  it 
always  be  so  ?  Oh  no  ;  blessed  be  God  !  I  feel  de- 
sirous that  they  may  never  be  effaced,  and  yet  I 
liave  this  day  yielded  to  temptation,  and  fallen  into 
Bin ;  but  the  Lord  graciously  restored  me  at  the 
prayer-meeting,  so  that  I  could  say,  '  Whom  have  I 
in  heaven  but  Thee  ?  and  there  is  none  upon  earth 
that  1  desire  beside  Thee.' " 

"  April  30th.— Employed  two  or  three  hours  this 
day  in  finishing  a  little  work,  entitled  '  The  Maid 
of  the  Ilathy.'  Although  rather  high-colored,  it  is 
still  much  to  be  admired,  and  eminently  useful  as 
showing  the  delusiveness  of  this  world.  Give  me, 
Lord,  the  enditring  riches !  " 

"  May  11th.— I  regret  that  I  have  neglected  the 
duty  of  posting  up  this  journal     But  as  this  small 


THE   DEVELOPMENT    OF   THE    CHPaSTlAN    LIFE. 


43 


i 


r 


duty  tend3'to  an  examinatum  of  my  coT>duct  dnnns 
each  day,  and  I  am  fully  conscious  of  the  uecess.tj 
of  exanmung  my  deceitful  heart,  I  w,  1,  by  Gods 
.race,  press  forward,  and,  feeling  the  "-^-''"^y 
li  my  own  efforts,  continually  p-ay  for '^the  Spu-.t 
of  power,  of  love,  and  of  a  sound  mind 

"  Sunday,  12th.-I  did  not  rise  early  enough  to 
attend  our  teache.-s'  prayer-n>eeting,  and  my  heart 
condemned  me  for  suffering  sloth  to  overcome  me 

"  May  16th.— In  most  of  my  duties  I  fand  it  Haia 
to  do  one  thinsr  at  a  time.  I  lind  the  like  difcculty 
in  reading.  Instead  of  cleaving  to  one  book,  1  open 
several,  and  thus  my  mind,  in  place  of  instruction, 
reaps  confusion.  But  these  things  must  be  over- 
ooine.     All,  hy  watchfulness  and  j>rayer,  will  be 

set  righV  .,_.,  ., 

"  May  1 7th.— Attending  sale  at  Evandale.  W hile 
there,  neglected  an  opportunity  of  showing  a  sinner 
the  wickedness  and  danger  of  swearing.  I  felt  rny 
mind  darkened,  and  was  sorely  grieved ;  but,  at  the 
class-meeting,  I  was  enabled  to  cast  my  whole  soul 

upon  God.  .     ,  ^    „    1 

"  21st.— Attendedii  sale,  and  was  surprised  to  hn<l, 

notwithstanding  my  seasoning  to  such  scenes,  that  I 

got  much  e-Kcited  while  bidding  for  some  of  the 

property." 

«  June  17th.— Eave  been  encouraged  by  reading 
the  Life  of  Samuel  Hick,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
greatly  humbled  in  comparing  his  fideliiy  with  my 
own  unfaithfulness.  An  unlettered  blacksmith,  the 
means  of  bringing  many  souls  to  the  Saviour  and  of 
stirring  up  believers  by  his  example  and  exhorta- 


# 


44 


LITE  OF  WALTER  POWIXL. 


I. 


tioiis ;  having  '  bowels  of  mercy '  and  kindness  to 
the  poor  and  afflicted,  a  burning  zeal  for  his  Master, 
and  a  persevering  love  for  the  souls  of  men  ;  nu- 
daunted  in  every  branch  of  Christian  duty.  O  Lord, 
make  me  like  him  ? " 

"  ISth. — Longford.  Spent  the  whole  of  the  day 
in  reading,  writing,  and  walking.  1  find  the  calm, 
peaceful,  silent  country  very  soothing  and  salutary. 
One  feels  a  strong  disposition  to  get  away  from  the 
bustle  and  '  strife  of  tongues  ; '  from  '  the  filthy 
conversation  of  the  wicked.'  Yet,  while  we  stead- 
fastly set  our  face  against  these  things,  we  nmst  not 
Beek  by  solitude  to  evade  duty  and  flee  from  the 
cross.  Lord,  help  me  to  take  up  the  cross  and 
despise  the  shame." 

*'June  22d. — Found  my  mind  much  weighed 
down  during  the  latter  part  of  this  day,  but  was 
revived  by  reading  a  few  remarks  of  the  Eev.  John 
Fletcher,  whose  life  I  am  reading.  I  was  tried 
abont  my  conversion — was  it  a  true  one?  Hate 
old  things  passed  away,  and  are  all  things  be(;ome 
new?  I  believe  I  can  say,  with  sincerity.  Yes.  But 
a  new  question  arose,  and  I  must  place  it  before  my 
minister  on  the  first  opportunity.  I  must  also  not 
neglect  to  lay  the  matter  before  the  Lord.  It  was 
this :  What  has  been  the  character  of  yonr  repent- 
ance ?  Was  it  scriptural  ?  Did  yon  not,  Jirst,  resolve 
to  serve  God  from  a  dread  of  future  punishment? 
Yes.  Have  you  not,  since  you  were  justified  by 
faith,  often  sinned  against  God  ;  and,  when  you  did 
BO,  did  not  3- our  sorrow  for  sin  arise,  j)artlf/,  at  hav- 
ing fallen  from  grace,  and  partly  from  a  dread  of 


THE   DEVELOPMENT  OF   TnE   CnRISTIAN   LIFE.       45 

God's  displeasure;  and  ought  yon  not  to  sorrow 
only  from  a  sense  of  having  grieved  your  Saviour, 
after  the  sacrifices  He  has  made  ?  By  these  thoughts 
my  mind  was  much  exercised,  and  my  own  opinion 
is  that  the  genuine  spirit  of  repentance  is  well  ex- 
pressed  by  Wesley's  hymn,— 

"  '  Which  grieves  at  having  grieved  its  Lord, 
And  ne\^er  can  itself  forgive.' 

Eepentance,  as  it  seems  to  me,  is  well  exemplified 
in  the  Prodigal  Son.  He  acknowledges  his  sin 
with  grief,  avows  that  he  is  no  more  worthy  to  be 
called  a  son,  and  requests  to  be  received  as  a  hired 
servant.  Oh  for  the  true  poverty  of  spirit,  the  teel- 
iiig  described  by  Ezekiel !  '  Then  shall  ye  remember 
your  own  evil  ways,  and  your  doings  that  were  not 
good,  and  shall  loathe  yourselves  in  your  own  sight 
for  your  iniquities  and  for  your  abominations.'  " 

Yet  the  "first  resolve  "  of  the  Prodigal  sprung 
out  of  the  sharp  sense  of  misery  and  immediate  dan- 
ger :  "  /perish:'     The  discovery  of  danger  awoke 
the  consciousness  of  gnilt ;  and  the  lower  feeling 
was  not  lost  in  the  higher  until  reconciliation  was 
complete.     Thus  faith,  and  even  assurance,  is  nec- 
essary to  the  perfection  of  true  penitence ;  it  can- 
not take  that  refined  and  lovely  form  in  which  Wal- 
ter Powell  justly  recognizes  "  the  bright  consummate 
flower"  of  evangelical  repentance,  until  it  bursts  in- 
to bloom  under^the  glow  of  God's  forgiving  love; 
as  Ezekiel  again  teaches :   "  Tliat  thou  mayest  re- 
member and  be  confounded,  and   never  open  thy 
mouth  any  more  because  of  thy  shame,  when  lam 


46 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


i 


pacified  toward  thee  for  all  that  thou  hast  done, 
saith  the  Lord  God."  But  Avhat  earnest  Christian 
has  escaped  the  temptation  to  doubt  the  reality  of 
his  past  experience  ? 

"June  25th. — Spent  the  afternoon  with  Mr. 
Eggleston,  and  consulted  him  as  to  the  best  method 
of  studying  the  Holy  Scriptures.  He  advised  ine 
to  form  a  Biblical  Commonplace  Book,  with  an  In- 
dex of  doctrines,  duties,  promises,  etc.,  and  to  arrange 
all  passages,  as  I  come  to  them  in  continuous  read- 
ing, under  their  respective  heads.  For  example,  to 
have  a  leaf  head'id  '  Atonement,'  and  to  place  under 
that  word  all  passages  referring  to  tliat  truth  of 
Eevelation ;  others  headed  '  Sln^  '  Repentance,' 
*Envy,'  <  Resurrection,'  etc.  I  know  that  this  will 
require  much  wisdom,  but  I  must  do  my  best,  keep- 
ing in  view  that  promise,  '  If  any  of  you  lack  wis- 
dom, let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth  to  all  men 
liberally  and  uj)braideth  not,  and  it  shall  be  given 
him.     But  let  him  ask  in  faith,  nothing  wavering.'" 


,»di 


I 

M 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  HARMONY  OF    HIS   SPIRITUAL  AND   SECULAR  LIFE. 

As  it  is  our  purpose  to  trace  through  all  its  earlier 
stages  the  formation  of  Mr.  Powell's  charactei*,  both 
in  its  spiritual  and  secular  aspects,  we  shall  be  par- 
doned for  introducing  some  further  extracts  from 
Mr.  Powell's  journal  illustrating   this  point.     The 
solid  foundation  of  heart  piety  and  faith  in  God  on 
which  he  was  rearing  the  edifice  of   his  life,  the 
careful  scrutiny  wliich  he  exercised  over  every  act, 
thou£^ht,  and  word,  and  the  resolute  determination 
to  overcome  the  errors  he  discerned,  account  sufii- 
ciently  for  the  strength,  breadth,  and  elevation  of 
his  subsequent  experiences.     There  is  a  wonderful 
charm,  an  instructive  lesson, in  these  resolute,  simple- 
minded  efforts  of   an   ailing,  overworked  clerk  of 
two-and-twenty  summers,  to  realize  in  his  own  life 
the  Christianity  of  the  New  Testament.     For  Chris- 
tianity is  a  life  in  both  senses  of  the  word—a  prhi- 
ciple  of  life*  and  a  course  of  life.     Many  religions 
men  of   business,  members  of  Christian  Churches 
and  generous  supporters  of   Christian  Institutions, 
lavish  of  their  money  in  the  promotion  of  the  pub- 
lic interests  of  the   Gospel,  would  willingly  make 
almost  any  sacrifice  to  lose  a  certain  uneasy  sense 
of  incongruity  between  their  secular  and  spiritual 


f  l'^-^hYlliaTn«i«r»iTltlMlr 


48 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


HIS   SPmiTUAL    AND    SECULAR   LIFE. 


49 


f 


course.  There  is  but  cue  way  in  which  the  Chris- 
tian and  (ionnnercial  life  can  be  bronglitinto  perfect 
harmony;  and  that  is  the  way  whicli  Mr.  Powell  had 
adopted,  in  obedience  to  the  Master's  own  instruc- 
tions: *'Seek  ye  first  tlie  kingdom  of  God  and  His 
righteousness." 

Had  not  Walter  Powell  acquired  in  youth  this 
habit  of  unflinchinix  self-investi^jation,  he  must 
have  encountered  disheartening  difficulty  in  the 
attempt  to  form  it  amidst  the  whirl  and  weariness 
of  after  life.  Benjamin  Franklin  attributed  what- 
ever he  enjoyed  of  the  serene  happiness  which 
flows  from  moral  healthiness  to  the  "little 
artifice"  of  keeping  a  diary,  in  which  he  noted 
down  his  failures  on  any  point  even  of  minor 
morality.  The  like  "little  artifice"  was  of  equal 
service  to  Walter  Powell  in  the  cultivation  of 
spiritual-mindedness.  It  was  thus  that  he  acquired 
and  preserved  that  keen  and  delicate  sensitiveness 
of  conscience  which  he  manifested  throucrhout  his 
business  life.  As  surely  as  "idle  people  give  them- 
selves most  trouble,"  so  surely  is  a  self-sparing  tem- 
per a  self-disturbing  temper.  To  spiritual  health  it 
is  absolutely  necessary  that  we  should  live  by  rule, 
and  consequently  that  we  should  have  a  rule  to  live 
b}^,  and  statedly  compare  our  daily  life  with  this 
rule.  Without  it  our  whole  spiritual  constitution 
must  and  will  become  relaxed.  Self-neglect  is  as 
fatal  to  the  soul  as  to  the  body.  We  see,  as  we 
glance  at  young  Powell's  journal,  how  frankly  he 
admits,  and  how  resolutely  he  fights,  the  failings  to 
which  he  had  fcmnd  himself  most  liable,  and  how 


sedulously  he  treasures  all  the  instruction  he  can 
gather  from  whatever  sources. 

"Longford,   Sunday,  July   7th.— Mr.   Eggleston 
preached     in  the    evening,   from,   ^low   shall   we 
escape,   if   avc   neglect   so   great   salvation?'     He 
^sliowed  the  greatness  of  the  salvation  offered,  its 
infir.te  cost,  the  glorious  nature,  human  and  Divine, 
of  Ilim  who  procured  it  for  us,  its  perfect  sufficiency 
and  effectiveness,  the  almighty  agency  by  which  it 
is   made   available  and  actual  in   individuals.     He 
then  pointed  out  the  hopelessness  of  escape  if  it  be 
nejrlected:    this  beino-  the  only  possible  oi)ening; 
since  had  there  been  any  other  conceivable  way  of 
escape  from  the  loss  of  the  soul  than  by  such  a 
death  of  such  a  Being  as  Christ,  that  could  never 
have  been  resorted  to.      He  exposed  the  folly  and 
madness  of    indolently  and   insolently  trusting  to 
God's  mercy,  whilst  neglecting  its  highest  possible 
manifestation,  and  doing  Respite  to  the  Spirit  of 
Grace.'      He  plainly  and  powerfully  proved   that 
nedectine:  this   salvation  entails  final  destruction, 
since  no  other  way  of  escape  is  possible ;  and  that 
life  everlasting  is  the  certain  consequence  of  our 
freely  and  fully  accepting  it.      May  I  more  and 
more  feel  the  value  of,  and  evince  my  gratitude  for, 
this  great  salvation  I " 

"  12th. — While  I  am  not  unmindful  of  the  great 
salvation  my  Saviour  has  accomplished,  I  am  as- 
tonished at  the  unbelief  and  indifference  I  find  still 
existing  within  me.  If  ray  eyes  are  not  constantly 
lifted  up  unto  '  the  hills  from  whence  cometh  my 
help,'  I  shall  be  rapidly  carried  back  to  the  horrible 
8 


50 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


abyss  of  stupid  negligence,  as  to  mj  eternal  inter- 
ests, from  which  I  have  escaped.  I  must  put  on 
the  whole  armor  of  God  in  order  to  withstand  my 
foes.  But  I  am  thankful  that  Christ  has  said, '  My 
grace  is  sufficient  for  thee,  My  strength  is  made 
perfect  in  weakness ; '  and  the  blessings  I  most  want 
are  suspended  on  simple  conditions :  ^  Ask,  and  ye 
shall  receive.' " 

Alas!  many  another  earnest  Christian  is,  like 
young  Powell,  "  haunted  by  tlie  self  of  other  days, 
which  seems  to  rise  up  as  a  spirit  of  darkness,  and 
cast  a  spell  upon  him,  and  fix  him  with  its  eye." 

"13th. — Having  heard  of  the  unjust  or,  ratlier, 
unkind  treatment  of  a  beloved  friend  in  a  trifling 
matter,  I  found  Satan  quite  i-eady  to  fill  me  with 
feelings  and  thoughts  neither  accordant  with  the 
Apostle's  language,  *  Charity  suffereth  long  and  is 
kind,'  nor  with  my  Saviour's  direction,  *  Pray  for 
those  who  despitefully  use  you.'  Oh  may  I  always 
bring  my  feelings  to  the  test  of  Scripture,  and  may 
every  thought  be  brought  *into  captivity  to  the 
obedience  of  Christ ! '  " 

"Wednesday,  17th.— The  Eev.  W.  Butters 
preached  on  the  necessity  of  Christian  watchfulness. 
I  mournfully  proved  \\\q  importance  of  the  admoni- 
tion ;  for,  on  going  home,  I  entered  upon  a  discus- 
sion relative  to  a  trifling  subject,  and  so  gave  way 
to  anger  as  to  grieve  the  Spirit  of  God.  May  the 
Lord  have  mercy  on  one  so  unworthy,  and  grant 
that  I  may  again  feel  the  unclouded  light  of  His 
countenance ! " 
How  could  young  Powell    know  that  he  had 


i 


T 

J 


1_ 


HIS    SPIRITUAL    AND   SECULAR  LITE. 


51 


grieved  the  Spirit  of  God?  By  the  perceptible 
abatement  of  the  "  consolations  of  God,"  of  which 
he  was  habitually  conscious. 

"August  10th.— Went  to  Eoss  in  order  to  stay  a 
short  time  with  Mr.  Jackson,  a  most  Christian- 
hearted  man,  earnestly  aspiring  after  the  mind  that 
was  in  Christ,  and  endeavoring  to  walk  as  He  also 

walked." 

"  29th.— Joined  a  class  formed  by  the  Eev.  W. 
Butters  for  the  mental  improvement  of  the  young 
men  connected  with  the  AVesleyan  Society." 

"Sunday,  September  1st.— Again  visited  at  their 
homes  the  children  of  my  Sunday-school  class. 
After  the  evening  service  partook  of  the  Sacrament 
of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Lord !  may  I  live  morfe  to 
Thee,  for  Thee,  and  in  Thee." 

Sometimes,  instead  of  noting  his  experience,  he 
would  wisely  solace  and  enliven  himself  b}^  para- 
phrasing some  passage  of  Scripture  ;  for  amidst  all 
his  struggles  he  was  buoyant  enough  to  "  relish  ver- 
sing." These  lines  often  show  no  contemptible 
power  of  versification,  but  are  chiefly  remarkable 
for  cleanness  of  workmanship  and  vigorous  com- 
pression. 

"  Sunday,  8th.— Felt  painfully  my  weakness  and 
ignorance  in  endeavoring  to  teach  my  class  in  the 
Sabbath-school.  O  gracious  Lord,  have  mercy  on 
me,  their  teacher,  lest,  after  instructing  '  others,  I 
myself  should  l)ecome  a  castaway.' 

"In  the  evening,  Mr.  Eggleston  preached  on  the 
Eich  Man  and  Lazarus.  He  called  attention  to  the 
fact,  that  the  rich  man  was  not  a  miser  or  morose. 


52 


LIFE   OP   WALTEB  POWELL. 


Otherwise  the  friends  of   Lazarus  would  not  have 
laid  him  there ;  nor  had  his  treatment  of  Lazarus 
pressed  on  his  awfully  awakened  conscience ;  nay 
had  there  been  no  kindly  relations  between  him' 
and  Lazarus,  he  would  have  been  the  last  person  to 
ask  to  leave  Abraham's  bosom  to  alleviate  his  suffer- 
ings.    He  would  not  have  even  dared  to  mention 
his  name,  for  that  name  must  have  inflamed  his 
tongue.     The  rich  man's  fatal  sin  was  that  of  his 
brethren ;  he  had   not  so  lelieved  Moses  and   the 
Prophets  as  to  be  persuaded  to  love  the  Lord  his 
God,  with  all  his   heart,  and  mind,  and  soul,  and 
strength;  and   his  neighbor  as  himself.     He   had 
neglected  to  consider  that  '  that  which  is  hi^rhly 
esteemed  among  men  is  abomination  in  the  sight  of 
God,'  the  fact  which  our  Lord  especially  designed 
to  illustrate.     (Luke  xvi.  15.)  " 

"  14th.— During  this  month  I  have  been  readinc^ 
the  Life  of  Dr.  Adam  Clarke,  and  have  been  par- 
ticularly struck  with  his  great  industry  and  perse- 
verance. His  labors  were  so  gigantic,  that  a  person 
of  average  energy  might  be  appalled  at  their 
vastness.  He  redeemed  the  time.  He  secured 
thousands  of  hours,  which  are  generally  wasted.  Oh 
that  his  example  may  be  followed  by  me !  " 

''  Sunday,  September  15th.— The  anniversary  of 
the  Sunday-school  in  which  I  am  an  unworthy 
teacher.  Mr.  Eggleston's  text  was,  ^But  godliness 
IS  profitable  unto  all  things,  having  promise  of  the 
life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which  k  to  come.'  He 
described  the  character  of  true  godliness,  and  the 
extent  of  its  operation;  its  vitality,  its  necessity;  its 


HIS   SPmiTUAL   AND   SECULAR  LIFE. 


63 


profitaUeness  for  the  present  life,  as  conducive 
directly  to  bodily  health,  tranquillity,  harmony  and 
healthiness  of  soul.  He  contrasted  the  profitless 
and  expensive  amusements  and  indulgences  of  the 
world  with  the  solid  happiness  given  to  the  godly, 
'without  money,  and  without  price.'  Having 
proved  its  cheapness^  its  soundness,  its  utility,  as  to 
the  life  that  now  is,  he  dwelt  ou  its  incalculable  ad- 
vantages as  the  only  means  of  securing  the  life  that 
is  to  corned 

"  Saturday,  21st. — During  the  past  week  I  have 
been  led  to  examine  myself  minutely,  but  I  fear 
very  imperfectly,  from  the  fact  of  my  memory 
being  confused,  and  from  a  dull,  trying  pain  which 
always  dwells  in  my  head,  in  a  greater  or  less  de- 
gree. Nevertheless,  I  have  been  able  to  discover, 
that  if  my  hours  were  differently  arranged,  I  should 
have  much  more  time  to  attend  to  those  duties  which 
would  enable  me,  to  a  far  greater  extent,  to  dis- 
charge my  obligations  to  God  and  man.  I  grieve 
to  fiud  myself  such  a  slave  to  habits  thoughtlessly 
acquired.  1  do  not  retire  to  rest  at  the  proper  time ; 
consequently  I  do  not  rise  early  enough  to  commune 
with  God,  and  then  take  the  necessary  bodily  exer- 
cise. The  result  is,  I  am  each  hour  striving  to  catch 
up  the  arrears  of  work  left  by  the  preceding,  and 
thus  body  and  mind  are  unduly,  unnecessarily,  and 
injuriously  strained,  burdened,  and  excited,  and  un- 
fitted for  the  vigorous  discharge  of  the  duties  in- 
cumbent upon  me  ;  and  I  am  not  able  to  maintain 
that  serene,  steady,  faithful,  thoughtful,  fervent  walk 
with  God,  which  befits  the  believer  in  Jesus.    I 


54 


LIFE   OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


niS   BPIRITUAL   AND   SECULAR  LIFE. 


55 


i: 


Bincerely  trust,  and  pray  witli  great  anguish  of  heart, 
that  this  my  monrning  for  past  transgressions  may 
not  be  in  vain,  but  that  my  conduct  may  show  that, 
by  His  grace  re-enforcing  my  resohitions,  I  have 
been  enabled  to  break  through  this  cruel  bondage 
of  habitual  procrastination.  Lord,  have  mercy  upon 
me,  and  upon  all  in  the  like  slavery,  for  the  Saviour's 
sake!" 

"  Sunday,  November  15th.— Was  enabled  to  rise 
before  five,  and  attend  the  prayer-meeting." 

"Sunday,  January  5th,  1845.— Eenewal  of  the 
Covenant  and  Sacrament.  On  looking  back  upon 
tlie  past  year,  I  cannot  l)ut  bo  grateful  to  tlie  Father 
of  all  my  mercies.  My  progress  in  the  Divine  life 
is  very  unworthy  of  my  privileges.  Twice  have  I 
been  raised  from  the  bed  of  sickness,  with  a  resolve 
to  forsake  all  and  follow  Christ,  and  yet  here  am  I 
at  the  present  almost  fainting  in  my  Christian 
course.  I  humbly  trust  tliat,  if  spared  through 
another  year,  I  may  find  it  one  of  ardent  devotion, 
of  yeanling  compassion  for  my  fellow-sinners,  of 
dedication  of  all  to  Christ,  and  of  conscientious 
stewardship." 

"  15th.— Have  been  reading  the  '  Life  of  the  Rev. 
Theophilus  Lessey.'  The  wealth  which  he  accpiired 
was  of  the  right  kind.  Convinced  that  no  man  can 
serve  two  masters,  he  early  forsook  the  service  of 
Mammon,  foreseeing  that  the  only  wages  that  the 
god  of  this  world  can  afFord  is  'death.' " 

"  March  4th. — I  have  reason  gratefully  to  record 
this  day.  It  is  one  the  importance  of  which  eternity 
alone  can  fully  disclose — my  marriage-day.    What 


I 


a  happiness  that  we  both  are  endeavoring  to  walk 
in  the  way  of  life,  and,  I  believe,  each  anxious  for 
the  other's   spiritual   welfare!      We  became   con- 
vinced of  our  fallen  condition  through  the  same  in- 
strumentality.    May  the  gracious  God  enable  us  to 
love  each  other  as  He  in  His  own  Word  commands 
us,  and  by  that  Word  may  our  whole  course  of  lite 
be  guided !     Mr.  Butters  conducted  the  service  most 
impressively.      My  sister  Eose   and  AVilliara   and 
Frederick  were  also  present,  and  my  bandmates 
Bonner  and  Denny.     As  to  myself  and  dear  wife, 
we  feel  determined  to  work  for  God,  and  devote  our 
all  to  Him.    We  feel  that  we  are  stewards,  and  as 
such  are  required  to  be  '  faithful.'     We  are  con- 
vinced of  our  own  helplessness,  our  utter  need  of 
the  teaching  and  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit.     We 
know  that  our  Redeemer  requires  us  to  economize 
our  means,  to  exert  all  our  energies  in  His  cause,  to 
take  up  our  cross  daily  and  follow  Him.     These  re- 
quirements would  drive  us  to  despair,  had  not  our 
Lord  promised  all-sufficient  grace." 

Walter  Powell's  principal  had  given  the  highest 
proof  of  his  confidence  in  the  virtues  and  the  busi- 
ness qualities  of  his  young  clerk,  by  accepting  him 
as  his  son-in-law.  He  states—"  Although  so  young, 
the  public  impression  of  Walter's  integrity  and 
judgment  was  such  as  to  be  often  of  no  slight  ser- 
vice to  me.  Whenever  any  disputes  arose  in  the 
course  of  business,  a  word  from  Walter  was  like 
*  an  oath  for  confirmation— the  end  of  all  strife ; ' 
the  objecting  party  would  at  once  yield,  saying, '  If 
Mr.  Powell  says  it  is  so,  I  must  be  wrong.' " 


66 


HIS  spmirrAL  and  secular  life. 


57 


LIFE   OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


"Sunday,  IGtli.— -Mr.  Eggleston  preached  from 
James  i.  25  ;  on  the  law  of  God,  its  threatenings, 
promises,  requirements,  privileges,  and  its  direct 
bearing  on  every  department  of  liuman  life — the 
necessity  of  looJcing  into  it  with  intense  regard  and 
unwearied  application,  like  the  cherubim,  bending 
over  the  Mercy-seat,  beneath  which  the  law  was  hid, 
<  desiring  to  look  into '  it  through  that  medium.  lie 
warned  us  against  uninterested  hearing  and  reading 
of  the  Word  of  God." 

These  notices  of  the  preaching  of  the  Wesleyan 
missionaries  show  that  they  were  not  mere  ranting, 
red-hot  revivalists.  They  reasoned  out  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. It  was  the  moral  momentum  with  which  they 
threw  out  these  plain  truths,  and  the  explosive  in- 
tensity of  their  own  personal  conviction,  which 
made  pi^ejudice  "pass  away  with  a  great  noise," 
and  insensibility  "  melt  with  fervent  heat."  They 
did  not  let  the  AYord  fall  softly  on  the  pulpit  cush- 
ion, or  pass  over  their  audience  like  a  cooling  cloud, 
whicli  temi>ers  the  burning  beam  to  the  weary  trav- 
eller, but  does  not  startle  the  loiterer  with  menace 
of  a  thunder-storm. 

"  April  27th.— I  have  had  to  keep  a  jealous  eye 
over  my  own  heart,  during  the  last  month,  lest 
covetousness  should  gain  a  foothold  in  it,  and  I 
should  become  ensnared  in  things  ih^i  jperish  in  tJie 

using?'* 

"  Sunday,  June  22d.— Mi\  Reed  preached  on  re- 
pentance in  believers,  from  the  several  addresses  to 
the  Seven  Churches.  He  showed  that  our  situation 
was  in  one  respect  like  that  of  the  Church  at  Per- 


gamos ;  for  surely  in  this  land  '  Satan's  seat  is,'  since 
for  deeds  of  crime  this  country  has  been  scarcely 
ever  equalled.  He  urged  the  consequent  necessity 
that  Christians  should  be  pre-eminently  zealous, 
watchful,  and  holy.  'Lord,  how  long'  shall  this 
state  of  things  continue  ? " 

There  is  one  point  touched  on  in  the  preceding 
extracts  which  it  may  be  well  to  glance  at  for  a 
moment.  Young  PowellV  journal  shows  that  his 
own  single-mindedness,  as  well  as  the  rules  and 
teachings  of  the  religious  community  to  which  he 
had  attached  himself,  decided  for  him  a  question 
which  confronts  every  earnest  Christian  at  the  out- 
set of  his  religious  coarse;  namely,  the  practical 
bearing  of  certain  gaieties  upon  the  daily  cultivation 
of  spiritual-mindedness.  Relaxation  is  a  necessity 
imposed  upon  us  by  the  Creator,  and  is  therefore  an 
obligation.  The  need  and  the  duty  of  frequent, 
thorough  recreation  are  in  proportion  to  tlie  strain 
which  a  man's  pursuits  put  upon  his  energies.  The 
hard  worker  must  have  effective  amusement,  and  no 
man  works  so  hard  as  he  who  combines  with  an 
eager  devotion  to  business  assiduous  mental  and 
spiritual  cultivation.  Hence  no  practical  and  ex- 
perienced men  have  ever  condemned  amusements 
wliich  really  accomplish  their  purpose — to  "  renovate 
the  spirits,  and  restore  the  tone  of  languid  nature  " 
— without  any  over-balancing  evil,  physical,  moral, 
or  spiritual.  Mr.  Powell  felt  bound  to  avoid  di- 
versions which  have  a  strong  tendency  to  become 
dissipations,  and  thus  defeat  the  real  object  of  an 
amusement,  being  prejudicial  rather  than  conducive 


«♦ 


■i. 


58 


LIFE  OF  WALtER  POWELL. 


HIS   SPIRITUAL   AND   SECULAR  LIFE. 


59 


to  bodily,  intellectual,  and  spiritual  health.  The 
Puritan  worthies  of  the  seventeenth  century  con- 
demned dancing,  and  yet  noted  down  in  their  diaries 
their  games  of  billiards,  side  by  side  with  tlieir 
spiritual  struggles  and  successes ;  and  with  perfect 
consistency,  because,  in  their  day,  dancing  had  be- 
come unsafe  and  unseemly  in  its  associations,  and 
in  its  customary  mode  of  indulgence  was  connected 
with  and  provocative  of  unquestionable  evils; 
whilst  billiards  were  not,  as  they  now  too  often  are, 
associated  with  drinking,  gambling,  and  late  hours. 
We  have  seen  that  young  Powell's  journal  frankly 
thanks  God  that  he  had  lost  all  taste  for  these  excit- 
ing and  enfeebling  "  pleasures." 

Unquestionably  many  professing  and  some  real 
Christians  do  countenance,  by  their  presence  and  oc- 
casional participation,  the  practice  of  this  amuse- 
ment ;  but  we  must  believe  that  in  their  case  the 
conscience  has  not  been  brought  to  its  true  point  of 
sensitiveness,  and  that  they  have  failed  to  recognize 
that  the  true  question  for  the  follower  of  Christ  is 
not,  "  Can  I  indulge  in  these  amusements  without 
serious  spiritual  injury  to  myself?"  but,  "Will  the 
indulgence  in  these  pastimes  glorify  God  or  benefit 
my  fellow-men  ? "  There  may  be  no  very  harsh  incon- 
gruity between  such  usages  and  a  Christianity  which 
consists  in  little  more  than  an  external  observance  of 
the  Ten  Commandments,  modified  by  the  conven- 
tional code  of  social  and  commercial  morality,  with 
the  addition  of  neighborly  good-heartedness  and  an 
easy-going  attendance  on  the  public  services  of  re- 
ligion ;  but  the  case  is  altogether  different  with  such 


I 


I 


a  man  as  Mr.  Powell,  who  made  the  cultivation  of 
Christian  holiness  the  great  purpose  of  his  lite. 

As  to   all  other  questionable    amusements,  he 
showed  the  wisdom  of  the  child  of  light.    His  busi- 
ness-like mode  of  going  about  the  affairs  of  his  soul 
taught  him    to  postpone    the    common    q.iestion, 
"What  is  the  iMrm  of  such  and  such  divereions?_ 
to  an  earlier  and  more  pertinent  inqmry,  "  What  is 
the  use  of  them?    Are  they  the  safest  and  most 
effective  recreations?"     But  for  all  those  gaieties 
which  Christian  prudence  induced  him  to  forego, 
he  found  amply  compensating  substitutes  in  music, 
for  which  he  had  both  taste  and  capacity,  and  ot 
which  he  was  passionately  fond,  in  books,  in  swim- 
ming, in  the  pubhc  services  of  rehgion,and  in  "sweet 
counsel"  with  like-minded  Christians. 


'* 


CHUECH    LIFE. 


61 


^ 


CHAPTER  V. 


CUUKCII   LIFE. 


The  Wesleyan  Methodists  of  EngltiiKl  and  tlie 
Colonies,  though  acknowledging  the  same  founder 
and  the  same  doctrinal  views  Avith  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States,  yet  differ 
from  them  in  many  minor  details.  The  Wesley ans 
have  Superintendents  but  no  Bishops  ;  Circuit  Super- 
intendents but  no  Presiding  Elders.  They  have  the 
Class-meetings  and  the  Class-leaders,  tlie  Love-feasts, 
the  AYatch-night  (which  they  observe  quarterly  in- 
stead of  annually),  and  they  have  also  the  Band- 
meeting,  the  Covenant-service,  and  the  Prayer- 
leader's  Plan,  which  the  exigencies  of  their  position 
have  developed,  and  which  differ  somewhat  from 
American  developments  of  Methodism. 

The  Class-meeting  and  its  Leader  are  institutions 
too  well-known  in  this  country  wherever  this  power- 
ful denomination  has  planted  its  churches,  to  need 
any  particular  description  here. 

The  primary  organization — preceding  often  the 
organization  of  a  Church — of  the  Methodist  body,  it 
gathers  for  a  weekly  religious  exercise  a  dozen  or 
more  members  of  the  Churcli,  or  probationers,  of  both 
sexes,  and  under  the  guidance  of  a  judicious  leader, 
a  man  of  experience  and  religious  activity,  requires 


of  them  individually  some  account  of  their  Christian 
life  for  the  week.     This  exercise,  interspersed  with 
sin<rin<r  and  prayer,  is  one  of  great  value  and  nn- 
poi^tance  to  the  spiritual  growth  of  the  entire  mem- 
bership of  the  Church.     It  secures  a  more  thorough 
watch  care  over  young,  fickle,  or  wayward  membei-s 
than  is  otherwise  possible;  and  promotes  the  spirit- 
ual growth  of  all.    The  Band-meeting  of  the  Wes- 
leyan  Church  of  England  and  the  Colonies  is  a  still 
smaller  organization,  and  where  the  Bands  include 
the  entire  membership  of  the  Church,  a  still  more 
efficient  one.    It  consists  of  three  or  four  members 
of  the  Church  of  the  same  sex  and  of  nearly  the 
same  age,  who  imite  together  for  religious  exercises 
and  mutual  watch-care  and  Bible-study.     The  rela- 
tion of  band-mates  is  very  intimate  and  cordial,  and 
in  most  instances  productive  of  the  very  best  re- 
sults. 

The  Prayer-leader's  Plan  is  another  institution 

of  English  and  Colonial  Methodism,  which  under 
certain  circumstances  is  productive  of   great  good 
and  to  which  the  rapid  spread  of  Methodism  in  the 
Colonies  is  largely  due.     A  carefully  prepared  plan 
of  the  various  wards  or  districts  of  a  town,  or  of  the 
neighboring  villages  and  hamlets,  is  drawn  up,  and 
Prayer-leaders  are  selected  and  appointed  from  the 
most  active  and  efficient  of  the  younger  members  of 
the  Church,  to  conduct  cottage  prayer-meetings  in 
designated  neighborhoods.      The  Prayer-leader   is 
not  allowed  to  deliver  an  address  unless  he  is  en- 
rolled  amongst  the  body  of  lay-preachers  or  ex- 
horters.     He  is  amenable  to  a  periodical  (usually  a 


62 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


CHURCH  LIFE. 


63 


I  I 


monthly)  meeting  of  his  associates,  which  is  presided 
over  by  the  minister,  and  is  required  to  report  all 
cases  of  religions  interest  which  have  come  under 
his  cognizance  with  a  view  to  their  being  brought 
under  immediate  pastoral  care.     Walter  Powel^as 
we  have  seen  and  shall  see,  was  identified  with  each 
of  these  sub-organizations  in  turn,  and  also  became 
a  lay-preacher  or  exhorter,  developing  remarkable 
power  and  fervor  in  his  addresses.     lie  had  joined 
a  Glass  and  become  a  member  of  a  Band.,  at  his  first 
connection  with  the  Church  ;  not  long  after,  he  was 
appointed  a  Prayer-leader,  a  Sunday-school  teacher, 
and  eventually  a  Class-leader,  and  as  we  have  said, 
an  exhorter.     Of  the  special  religious  services  we 
have  named,  the  Love-feast,  a  revival  with  some 
modifications  of  the  Agajfxs  or  Feast  of  Charity  of 
the  Primitive  Church,  is   a   monthly  or  quarterly 
gathering  of  the  members  of  the  different  classes 
and  other  probationers  for  the  recounting  of  their 
religious  experience,  and  to  each  of  those  present  a 
piece  of  bread  and  a  draught  of  water  is  offered 
during   the   meeting,  in    token  of    hearty   fellow- 
ship.    The  Watch-night,  formerly  in  England  and 
America  and  still  in  the  Colonies,  a  quarterly  and 
originally  a   monthly  service,  is  a  season  of  pro- 
tracted prayer,  accompanied  with  singing  from  8.30 
P.M.  till  a  little  after  midnight,  usually  with  special 
reference  to  a  revival.     At  its  close  a  few  minutes 
are  spent  in  silent  prayer ;  after  which  a  triumphal 
hymn  is  sung  and  the  benediction  pronounced.     The 
Covenant-service  is  also  an  annual  solemnity  held 
on  the  first  Sabbath  of  the  year.    After  a  full  and 


clear  exposition  of  the  covenant  relation  between 
God  and  His  people,  a  solemn  form  of  personal  con- 
secration to  God  is  read  aloud  by  the  minister,  and 
followed  and  assented  to  in  silence  by  the  members 
of  the  Church;  suitable  hymns  are  sung,  and  the 
Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  admimstered.     ihe 
frequent  allusions  to  these  services  in  Mr.  Powells 
iournal  seemed  to  render  this  much  explanation 
necessary.      Besides   the   cottage   prayer-meetmgs, 
band-meetings,  and  class-meetings,  there  were  larger 
and  more  central  gatherings  for  prayer,     it  will  be 
seen  from  Mr.  Powell's  journal,  that  one  weekly 
meeting  for  supplication  was  held  on  Sunday  morn- 
in^^s  at  five  o'clock.     These  early  assemblies  were 
coeval  with  the  origin  of  Methodism,  but  seem  little 
adapted  to  the  tyrannous  usages  of  our  over-ti'admg 
and  over-feeding   age.     No  doubt  Walter  Powell 
in  his  self-severity,  often  sat  down  to  the  account  of 
spiritual  slothfulness  what  was  really  attributable  to 
physical  exhaustion.     But  abler  men  than  he  have 
fallen  into  the  like  error;  for  instance,  that  earnest 
and  devoted  Christian,  Dr.  Arnold,  of  Rugby,  who 
reproached  himself  for  an  indisposition  to  rise  at 
the  moment  which  he  had  fixed,  not  taking  into 
account  the  exhausting  labors  of  the  previous  day. 
Walter  Powell,  however,  was  right  in   condemn- 
ing late  retiring,  when  he  felt  early  rising  to  be  a 

duty.  , 

But  to  return  to  the  journal.     Allusions  to  the 
above-mentioned  services  abound  in  Walter  Powell  s 
diary.    We  subjoin  a  few  illustrative  extracts : 
"  May  22d,  1844.— Met  with  my  band-mates  at 


64 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


CHURCH   LIFE. 


65 


Beven  a.m.,  and  was  strengthened  and  encouraged 
in  my  Christian  course.     Praise  God  for  such  means 

of  orace 

«  Nov.' 22d.— Class  in  the  evening.    Very  profit- 
able     Brother  S.  confessed  to  lis  a  grave  fault  for 
which  he  had  that   day  been  solennily  rebuked. 
Seven  years  ago,  he  and  other  friends  had  been 
wont  to"  visit  regularly  an  individual  who  had,  m  Ins 
youth,  drunk  deeply  into  deistical  opinions,  endcav- 
orin-  to  win  him  to  the  truth  ;  after  some  tnne  they 
became  discouraged  and  wearied  out,  and  brother 
S.  lamented  that  latterly,  even  in  niectmg  lum,  he 
had   refrained   from  conversing  with    um   on    us 
spiritual  state.     He  had  just  been  bitterly  ronnnded 
that  he  had  not  worked  while  it  was  day  by  seen.g 
the  passing  f  u,>eral  of  this  very  man      Surely  nei- 
ther past  nor  future  work  will  atone  for  neglect  of 

^'"MondS^  Jnly  Ist—Went  to  Launceston  by 
coach,  and  attended  the  love-feast  in  the  evenn.g. 
nis  grateful  to  my  Heavenly  Father  to  hear  so 
many  testify  of  His  loving-kindness  It  must  ha^e 
Ten  a  source  of  encouragement  to  all,  to  see  m  how 
many  instances. the  Lord  used  the  most  humble  n>- 
struments  and  the  simplest  means  to  efrect  conve  - 

ions.  Oh,  if  I  were  faithful  and  ""P--'^  ^t 
moment,  the  Lord  would  also  use  me.  A  s  mple 
word  spoken  in  earnest,  and  with  a  v.ew  to  gh,r.ty 
God  was  the  means  of  turning  to  righteousness 
fome  that  addressed  us.  God  is  Love  1  He  p..ves 
it;  manifests  it  each  succeeding  day.    He  i^  .v^^e'l- 

spring  of  everlasting  happiness  to  those  who  ac- 


' 


nuaint  themselves  with  Him.     He  will  guide  them 
by  His  counsel,  and  afterward  receive  them  to  glory. 

watl:5  was  held.     I  trust  we  all  felt  the  .nfl^ 
ence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  acting  upon  our  hem  ts.     Oh 
that  i  may  not  ha4  to  monrn  the  non-improvement 
T2l  I  solemn  season!    May  the  voice  wlach 
sounded  then,  sound  now ;  yes,  let  me  ever/^''^  Jhy 
voice !     May  I  "  attend  the  whispers  of  Thy  grace 
Mr.  Lassitter  showed  powerfully  how  toohsh  it  is  to 
content  ourselves  with  hojnn<j  for  rest  in  Christ 
when  it  is  our  privilege  to  be  conscious  oi  it.     lie 
bron-ht  forward  the  absoluteness  and  decisiveness 
of  Scripture  on  the  point  of  a  personal  consciousness 
of  rest  in  Christ.     Mr.  Orookes  followed,  and  spoke 
of  the  declension  of  the  Society  during  the  past 
quarter.     He  touched  on  some  things  which  he  sup- 
posed might  possibly  be  the  cause  :  want  of  unity, 
prayer,  and  faithfulness  in  the  ministers  themselves, 
and  also  hi  the  members.     He  exhorted  us  not  to 
rest  in  our  present  state,  but  that  night  to  set  out 
afresh.     Grant,  gracious  Lord,  that  the  prayers,  the 
cries,  the  teare,  which  come  up  before  Tliee,  may  be 

answered ! "  .  , 

«  6th  —Attended  my  class-meeting :  was  sensibly 

strengthened  and  quickened.  I  felt  doubly  grate- 
ful for  God's  unbounded  love  in  bringing  one  soul 
more  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of 

God,  a  person  of  the  name  of  S ,  who,  a  very 

short  time  since,  'walked  according  to  the  course  of 
this  world.' " 


66 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


CHUECn  LIFE. 


67 


"  February  2d,  1845. — I  again  met  in  class,  having 
missed  one  week,  in  consequence  of  my  visit  to 
Longford.  I  spoke  my  mind  to  my  excellent  leader 
in  reference  to  the  great  unwillingness  I  felt  to  per- 
form my  duty  in  reproving  sin.  He  ui-ged  me  to 
apply  to  the  Giver  of  every  good  and  perfect  gift 
for  wisdom  to  direct  me,  and  further  said,  that  in 
order  to  perform  this  duty  properly,  we  must  have 
great  love  for  the  souls  of  men,  and  that  whilst  we 
feel  the  least  approach  of  sin,  and  repel  it  witli  the 
greatest  abhorrence,  and  are  keenly  zealous  for  the 
honor  of  our  Father-God,  we  must  manifest  grief 
rather  than  anger,  when  we  see  or  hear  His  laws 
broken." 

"  Wednesday,  December  3d,  1844. — ^Went  to  the 
weekly  service,  and  heard  Mr.  Crookes  on  *  Love 
not  the  world,  neither  the  tilings  of  the  world ;  if 
any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is 
not  in  him.'  Considering  how  my  mind  has  of  late 
been  drawn  away  by  worldly  objects,  the  address 
came  seasonal)ly.  Lord,  help  me  to  keep  my  heart 
with  all  diligence." 

"  Gth. — Attended  class,  and  obtained  a  clearer 
view  of  my  glorious  Saviour  than  I  had  for  some 
time  realized." 

"  Sunday,  17th. — Led  the  morning  prayer-meet- 
ing at  seven.  I  was  installed  into  the  important 
office  of  prayer- loader  this  month.  I  trust  I  shall* 
see  my  need  of  walking  humbly  with  God,  and  that 
He  will  fit  me  for  my  duties.  How  awfully  re- 
sponsible is  the  Christian  profession,  in  all  respects ! 
By  our  conduct,  we  are  either  urging  men  to  the 


kingdom  of  God,  or  proving  stumbling-blocks  in 
their  way.  Deliver  me  from  blood-guiltiness,  O 
Lord ! " 

"Monday,  October  23d. — The  quarterly  watch- 
night.  Mr.  Butters  closed  the  meeting  by  a  touch- 
ing appeal  for  the  prayers  of  the  Church  on  behalf 
of  himself  and  colleague,  telling  us  that  were  we 
only  aware  of  their  conflicts,  perplexing  doubts,  and 
anxious  fears,  we  should  more  frequently  intercede 
for  them  at  the  throne  of  grace,  that  God  would 
eminently  fit  them  spiritually,  morally,  mentally,  and 
physically  for  their  great  work.  May  the  Lord 
answer ! " 

"  Tuesday,  24th. — The  quarterly  love-feast.  I 
was  induced  to  offer  a  few  remarks  as  to  God's 
gracious  dealings  with  me  during  the  past  quarter. 
I  considered  it  to  be  but  acknowledging  a  debt  of 
gratitude  to  God.  Had  I  listened  to  the  numerous 
suggestions  which  presented  themselves  to  my  mind 
of  my  sinful  and  unworthy  conduct  in  the  past,  I 
should  have  sat  in  shame  and  silence ;  but  I  re- 
membered that  I  had  not  to  trust  in  my  own  righte- 
ousness, but  in  that  f)f  my  gracious  Saviour ;  and 
though  I  could  not  but  acknowledge  my  unfaithful- 
ness, I  could  not  forbear  testifyhig  of  His  love." 


^ 


BEMOVAL   TO    MELBOUBNE. 


69 


p  ' 


CHAPTER  VI. 

REMOVAL  TO  MELBOUKNE. 

■   In  the  autumn  of  1845,  Mr.  Powell,  then  twenty- 
three  years  of  age,  was  obliged  to  begin  life  afresh. 
The  new  settlement  of  Victoria,  which  had  at  first 
perceptibly  improved,  now  diverted  to  itself  the 
trade  of   Tasmania.     Business   at   Launceston  was 
for  a  time  at  the  lowest  ebb.     Mr.  Bell,  Mr.  Powell's 
father-in-law,  and  who  was  also  his  employer,  found 
that  his  business  had  dwindled  till  there  was  little 
hope  that  it  would  be  sufficient  for  the  support  of 
two  families.     It  became  clear  that  Walter  Powell 
must,  like  his  father,  become  an  emigrant.     Since 
trade  would  not  come  to  Launceston,  he  must  seek 
it  at  the  point  toward  which  it  was  evidently  set- 
ting, and  that  point  was  Melbourne.     He  resolved, 
then,  to  migrate  with  his  wife  to  the  newest  of  the 
Australian  colonies,  a  newer  and  wilder   country 
than  that  to  which  his  father  had  come  twenty-three 
years  before ;  but  one  of  more  rapid  growth  and 
greater  business  promise. 

Eight  months  before,  he  had  married  with  a  fair 
prospect  of  a  modest  and  hard-earned  competence 
among  the  friends  he  had  known  from  childhood. 
But,  alas  !  for  human  calcidations  and  forecastings. 
lie  found  himself  now  compelled  to  take  his  young 


bride  to  this  new  and  bustling  colony,  where  every- 
thing was  in  the  roughest  possible  condition,  and 
comforts,  as  yet,  w^ere  few.  Yet,  "  as  an  eagle 
stirreth  up  her  nest,  fluttereth  over  her  young, 
spreadeth  abroad  her  wings,  taketh  them,  beareth 
them  on  her  wings:  so  the  Lord  alone  did  lead 
him."  This  seemingly  adverse  current,  which  bore 
him  from  his  sheltered  moorings,  was  but  the  rising 
tide  that  taken  at  the  flood  led  on  to  wealth.  For 
the  present,  however,  honest  bread-getting  was  all 
he  could  aspire  to.  His  poverty  was  almost  as  ab- 
Bolute  as  when  at  twelve  years  old  he  entered  the 
office  of  an  auctioneer,  with  the  brave  resolve  to  re- 
trieve the  fortunes  of  his  family.  Walter  had  now 
the  responsibilities  and  the  counterbalancing  sup- 
ports of  wedded  life.  But  the  most  disheartening 
aspect  of  his  affairs  was  his  shattered  state  of  health. 
He  had  not  long  before  been  utterly  disabled  by  a 
succession  of  sharp  and  threatening  sicknesses.  All 
this,  however,  brought  out  the  strength  and  beauty 
of  his  character.  Under  date  June  10th,  he  writes, 
"  Still  in  ill-health  and  unable  to  take  any  active 
part  in  the  business.  I  feel  this  to  be  a  severe  re- 
straint, but  my  chief  duty  is  submission.  Oh  that  my 
own  will  were  entirely  sw^allowed  up  in  that  of  my 
Heavenly  Father !  My  withdrawal  from  business 
has  been  attended  by  a  marked  providence — the 
Lord  has  heard  the  cry  of  the  distressed,  and  sent 
one  to  fill  my  situation,  who  is  in  needy  circumstan- 
ces, with  a  wife  and  large  family."  In  the  same 
spirit  he  records  his  arrival  in  Victoria : 

"Melbourne,  Kov.  22d,    1845.— Our  affairs    in 


1 


70 


LIFE   OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


Yan  Diemen's  Land  having  taken  an  unfavorable 
turn,  and  the  Pillar  of  Cloud  appearing  to  move 
away  from  our  little  homestead  at  Launceston,  on 
the  8th  instant  we  embarked  for  Melbourne,  where 
I  trust  He  will  be  with  us,  whose   favor  is  better 
than  life.    I  said, '  If  Thy  presence  go  not  with  us, 
carry  us  not  up  hence.'    After  lying  at  George 
Town  and  in  the  river,  wind-bound  for  a  week,  we 
bade  farewell  to  the  land  of  our  childhood  on  the 
evening  of  the  15th,  and  on  the  ITth  landed  at 
William's  Town.     Lord,  grant  that  since  Thou  hast 
extended  such  mercy  to  the  unworthy,  I  may  live 
and  work  for  Thy  glory.     'Tis  true,  I  find  within 
me  '  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief '  ever  ready  to  depart 
'  from  the  Living  God ; '  but  I  have  learned  the 
Apostles'  prayer,  *Lord,  increase  our  faith.'" 

Thus  at  this  anxious  turning-point  in  his  temporal 
affairs,  his  chief,  his  almost  absorbing  solicitude  was 
to  keep  his  heart  rirjht  with  God.  How  faithfully 
did  his  Heavenly  Fatlier  fulfil  to  him  His  engage- 
ment—" But  seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and 
His    righteousness,  and   all  these   things  shall  he 

added  unto  you  !  " 

The  Melbourne  of  1845  was  not  the  spacious, 
stately,  crowded,  golden  city,  which  now  invites  so 
many  immigrants.  It  was  then  but  nine  yeai-s  old, 
and  was  still  in  the  roughest  and  most  rudimental 
state.  Four  hundred  miles  from  the  nearest  settle- 
ment, in  the  midst  of  immense  grass  plains,  with  an 
exuberant  fertility  of  soil,  and  a  delicious  climate, 
its  population  was  then  about  equal  to  that  of  Laun- 
ceston, Tasmania,  numbering  some  seven  thousand. 


REMOVAL   TO   MELBOURNE. 


71 


Durin^r  Mr.  Powell's  residence  there  it  increased 
more  tlian  fifteen  fold.  In  1861,  Melbourne  had 
108,224  inhabitants. 

In  those  early  days,  house  accommodation  of  any 
sort  was  very  scarce,  and  the  best  of  it  extremely 
comfortless.  But  Mr.  Powell  and  his  young  bride 
quietly  adjusted  themselves  to  their  lot.  Providence 
did  not  betray  their  trust.  Their  fellow-townsfolk 
being  all  in  the  like  struggling  and  transitional 
condition,  rudeness  of  residence  and  the  humblest 
forms  of  self-help  involved  no  forfeiture  of  social 
consideration.  The  best-born  there  sustained  an 
amount  of  manual  labor  and  bodily  exertion  almost 
incredible  to  men  of  like  position  in  the  mother 
country,  and  delicate  ladies  were  their  own  cooks 
and  maids-of-all-work.  In  short,  hard  work  was 
the  order  of  the  day ;  all  who  had  no  taste  for  that 
were  out  of  place  in  the  embryo  capital  of  Australia 
Felix.  But  Mr.  Powell's  principles  and  habits  were 
exactly  suited  to  such  a  state  and  stage  of  society. 
Kegularity,  perseverance,  punctuality,  self-denial, 
and  economy,  combined  with  unwearyiug  industry, 
crushed  into  smoothness  that  rutty  road  to  hon- 
orable affluence.  And,  best  of  all,  his  journal 
shows  that  in  these  new  and  testins:  circumstances  he 
was  still  resolved  to  conform  his  life  to  what  AYes- 
ley  terms  "  the  accuracy  of  the  Christian  model." 
Happily  he  found  at  Melbourne  that  which  is  almost 
ubiquitous,  that  of  which  the  acknowledged  mission 
is  to  go  where  it  is  most  needed — the  faithful 
quickening  ministrations  and  the  kindly  fellowships 
of  a  genial  evangelism.     Here,  too,  amidst  the  keen 


I.I 


72  UFE   OF   -WALTEK   POWELL. 

comi>etitionB  of  a  new  community  intent  on  rapid 
™y-.naking,  and  the  importunate  anxieties  of  a 
bn  ne  "hi  piocess  of  formation, he  showed  lumself 
e  "r  retdy  fur  the  service  of  his  Cliurch.  And  h.s 
Clu  rlwas  not  slow  in  claiming  whatsoever  servico 
Uuucli  was  ^^.^^^^  j^,g  journal 

trlw   fa    a  tlent  change  of  circumstances 
i;d  not  divert  his  attention  from  the  great  object  of 

"^"Sunday,  January  25th,  1846.-Was  appointed 
bunaaj,  •'(.^li^^ood     Sunday-school. 

Secretary    to         e    ^o  ^,,^^„,t,a  them- 

Eighty-one  chiWren  pieseiii,^wi.u 

BeU-es  in  a  reputable  manner."  „„rnose 

«  April  19th.-Vislted  Geelong  for  the  purpose 

of  holding  a  meeting  to  advocate  the  cause  of  ^ot^ 

1    .•  r     Tlio   iTioetiii""   was   held    m    a    Bioie. 

abstinence.    The  m<'«f »»  j  ,„,,t  that  this 

its  attendant  evils,  will  be  ahoget^  e. 

this  fatal  vice,  and  the  moral  aspect  of  souetj  wi 

become  as  lovely  as  that  of  nature  around  «b 

"  September.lEeligion  -'«-"*  chanty  Jia^  -, 
love,  il  a  mere  parade,  aii  cm^  ^'J^. 
T.nrf  with  love  we  part  with  Cxod.     i^et  me  re    i 
Ce    ad  ever  keJp   before   my  mind  the  various 
l;acteristics  of  this  most  God-like  grace: 

"  1.  Charity  suffereth  long. 


* 


' 


EEMOVAL   TO   MELBOURNE. 


73 


4.   Charity  vaunteth  not  itself. 


5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 
10. 
11. 
12. 
13. 
14. 
15. 

16. 


(( 


a 


u 


a 


« 


« 


(( 


u 


a 


(( 


u 


2. 


'«       is  kind. 


is  not  puffed  up. 

doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly. 

seeketh  not  her  own. 

is  not  easily  provoked. 

thinketh  no  evih 

rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity. 

rejoiceth  in  the  truth. 

beareth  all  things. 

believeth  all  things. 

hopeth  all  things. 

endureth  all  things. 
^^  never  faileth  1 " 

"  This  grace  of  the  Spirit  can  be  cultivated  into 
beautiful  perfection  by  every  one  who  is  born  of  the 
Spirit.     The  poor  sinner  who  has  wallowed  for  long 
years  in  evil  may,  by  repentance  and  faith,  have  the 
seed  of  this  virtue  deep  planted  in  his  heart.     The 
Holy  Spirit  both  sows  and  nourishes  this  precious 
heavenly  seed.     Am  I,  a  professor  of  the  religion 
of  Christ,  without  love  %     Deliver  me,  O  Lord,  from 
this  great  transgression !     During  the  past  week  I 
have  been  laid  aside.     I  esteem  it  a  mercy  from  my 
Lord,  yet  I  have  not  improved  this  providential  re- 
tirement from  the  business  of  the  world  as  I  might 
have  done ;  but  I  bless  God  that  I  am  not  satisfied 
with  my  present  Christian  experience,  and  am  re- 
solved, by  His  grace,  to  distrust  myself  and  lean 
only  upon  Ilim.     I  have  been  prevented  from  ful- 
filling my  duty  as  superintendent  of  the  Sabbath- 
school,  but  have  prayed  to  the  Chief  Shepherd  that 


mm  • 

3^        "       envieth  not. 


1 1 


74 


LIFE   OF  WALTER   POWELL. 


lie  would  remember  it  in  tender  mercy,  and  pour 
His  Spirit  upon  the  children  and  the  teachers." 

We  incidentally  gather  from  the  last  entry  tliat 
he  had  been  raised  from  the  secretaryship  to  the 
Buperin tendency  of  the  Snndaj^-scliool ;  rnd  from 
subsequent  records,  that  he  had  been  appointed  to 
several  other  Church  offices. 

"  November. — I  know  not  how  to  write  in  this 
neglected  journal.  My  present  situation  is  perilous, 
and  unless  I  cry  at  once  *  to  Ilim  who  is  mighty  to 
save,'  I  shall  become  a  miserable  backslider  in  heart 
and  life.  And  this  to  be  the  state  of  my  mind  when 
occupying  important  offices  in  the  Clnirch  of  Christ ! 
To  stand  on  the  Plan  as  a  Leader  of  Prayer,  when  I 
feel  almost  destitute  of  the  spirit  of  prayer ;  required 
by  the  Church  to  superintend  a  Sabbath-school,  to 
guide  young  children  to  Christ's  gentle  arms,  to 
lead  them  to  His  loving  lips,  when  I  myself  need 
to  be  led  by  the  hand;  appointed  to  the  solemn 
office  of  Class-leader,  to  direct,  advise,  comfort,  and 
animate  my  fellow-Christians,  when  ray  own  soul 
needs  the  direction  and  the  counsel  of  those  whom 
I  am  appointed  to  instruct.  Ah,  Lord !  Thou 
knowest  my  extreme  barrenness  and  spiritual  desti- 
tution. '  Eestore  unto  me  the  joys  of  Thy  salva- 
tion, and  uphold  me  with  Thy  free  Spirit ;  then  will 
I  teach  transgressors  Thy  ways,  and  sinners  shall  be 
converted  unto  Thee.' 

"  I  solemnly  resolve,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to 

"  1st. — Eise  early,  for  the  purpose  of  searching 
the  Scriptures  and  prayer,  and  to  study  useful  books. 

<*2d. — To  pray  more  for  the  conversion  of  my 


EEMOVAL  TO   MELBOURNE. 


75 


.  1 


M 


! 


relatives ;  for  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  upon  our 
minister  and  the  people  here,  and  the  Church  gene- 
rally ;  to  seek  a  revival  of  Ilis  work  in  my  own  soul, 
and  to  ask  for  its  extension  to  every  creature  under 

heaven. 

«  3d.— To  be  not  slothful  in  business ;  to  be  con- 
stant and  punctual  at  the  means  of  grace ;  and  to 
earnestly  seek  each  day  to  grow  in  grace,  and  in  the 
knowledge  of  my  Lord  and  Saviour. 

"  4:th.— To  pray  that  I  may  enjoy,  at  all  times,  the 
witness  of  His  Spirit  with  mine  that  1  am  His  child. 

"  Knowing  that  I  am  incapable  of  any  good  thing 
without  His  grace,  I  humbly  implore  Him  to  em- 
power me  to  carry  out  these  resolutions,  so  far  as 
they  consist  with  His  blessed  will.  O  Lord,  give 
me  a  disposition  to  record  Thy  dealings  with  me 

continually." 

"  October  20th,  1847.— My  old  band-mate,  Thomas 
Denny,  has  been  staying  with  me  a  month.  I  have 
been  weighed  down  with  cares  of  the  world.  This 
ought  not  to  be.  These  cares  clK»ke  the  good  seed. 
Oh  that  my  care  may  be  cast  upon  ray  Saviour !  I 
can  testify  to  the  goodness  of  God  in  marvellously 
helping  me  in  temporal  matters ;  helping  me  when 
I  knew  not  where  to  look  for  help,  and  inclining 
the  hearts  of  many  to  assist  me.  My  soul,  in  all  thy 
ways  acknowledge  Him,  and  fear  not.  He  will  di- 
rect tliy  paths." 

"  November  23d,  1847.— Oiir  little  daughter  left 

us,  after  a  joyous  earthly  existence  of  twenty-three 
months  ;  joyous  because  she  was  docile,  and  render- 
ing a  ready  obedience  to  all  our  wishes.     It  has  been 


76 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


REMOVAL   TO   MELBOURNE. 


77 


ii  I 


our  aim  to  train  her  up  for  God,  and  we  have  not 
shrunk  from  enforcing  obedience  by  correction; 
knowing  that  the  foundation  of  every  virtue  is  obedi- 
ence, and  that '  even  a  child  is  known  by  his  doings, 
whether  it  be  pure,  and  whether  it  be  right.'  We 
can  testify  to  the  advantage  of  checking  the  first 
manifestations  of  a  rebellious  nature,  and  of  teach- 
ing a  child  so  to '  love '  as  to  *  honor  and  obey.'  We 
have  been  rewarded  by  the  sweet  affection  of  our 
child.  We  hoped  to  have  seen  the  day  when  she 
would  give  her  young  heart  to  lier  Eedeemer.  But 
Bhe  was  His.  lie  has  opened  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
for  her,  and  she  is  now  singing  the  song  of  the  re- 
deemed. Her  Heavenly  Father  used  simple  means 
in  taking  her  to  Himself— an  ordinary  child's  fall. 
The  Lord  had  need  of  her.  A  short  time  before 
her  deatli,  He  poured  consolation  into  our  hearts  in 
a  wonderful  manner ;  so  much  so,  that  our  sorrow 
was  turned  into  joy.  We  felt  the  Holy  Spirit  act- 
ing on  our  hearts  like  a  refiner's  fire,  and  were  ena- 
bled to  hold  loosely  all  earthly  things." 

"  25th.— Was  blamed  by  Mr.  Lowe  for  not  allowing 
my  name  to  be  added  to  the  list  of  exhorters.  I 
told  him  my  motive  for  refusing  was  now  removed. 
I  had  declined  because  I  was  conscious  that  the 
world  was  getting  into  my  heart,  and  I  had  feared 
lest,  by  being  thus  brought  prominently  before  the 
public,  my  inconsistencies  might  be  brought  to  light. 
But  now,  O  Lord,  my  helplessness  and  ignorance  I 
offer  not  as  an  excuse  for  declining  any  service 
which  Thy  Church  requires  from  me.     If  called  by 


%k 


Thee  to  labor,  Thou  wilt  fit  me.    '  Not  by  might  nor 
by  power,  but  by  My  Spirit,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.' 

*'  'Give  me  Thy  stren^h,  O  God  of  power, 
Then  let  winds  blow,  or  thunders  roar  ; 
Thy  faithful  witness  will  I  be, 
»Tis  fixed,  I  can  do  aU  through  Thee/ 

"  But,  O  Lord,  if  Thou  seest  that  I  am  not  fitted 
for  this  awfully  responsible  and  glorious  work,  then 
intei-pose  Thy  hand.  I  still  possess  peace  with  God 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     Glory  be  to  God ! " 

"  Smiday,  28th.— Scarcely  able,  from  bodily  feeble- 
ness, to  walk  to  my  school ;  but  the  work  must  be 
done.  O  Lord,  let  me  always  labor  for  Thee !  May 
the  salvation  of  souls  ever  be  uppermost  in  my 
thoughts!  May  I  never  lose  Thy  regard!  Any- 
thing but  this.  O  Lord,  save  Melbourne!  Con- 
vince its  inhabitants,  by  Thy  Spirit,  of  sin,  of  right- 
eousness, and  of  judgment!" 

The  Sunday-school  which  \\x.  Powell  superinten- 
ded soon  became  very  large.  It  was  situated  at  a 
considerable  distance  from  his  house,  so  that  its  toils 
formed  no  light  addition  to  the  labors  of  the  week. 

Thus  sedulously  and  passionately  did  young  Pow- 
ell strive  to  walk  in  the  narrow  way,  and  to  conform 
his  inner  and  his  outer  life  to  God's  Holy  Word. 
Doubtless  he  made  fewer  allowances  for  himself 
than  the  Saviour  made  for  him ;  and  perhaps  the 
anxious  patient  sometimes  felt  his  own  pulse  until 
it  throbbed  and  faltered  beneath  the  pressure ;  but 
he  was  steadily  growing  into  a  robust  and  buoyant 
piety.  Building  himself  uj^on  his  most  Jioly  faith, 
paying  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  kept  himself  in  the 
love  of  God. 


1 1 


niS   FIRST   VOYAGE   TO   ENGLAND. 


79 


CHAPTEE  VII. 

HIS   FIRST   VOYAGE   TO   ENGLAND. 

Mb.  Powell  had  long  cherished  a  natural  desire 
to  visit  the  iinremembered  land  of  his  birth. 
Having  received  warm  invitations  from  his  maternal 
aunt,  he  resolved  to  gratify  this  longing.  He  also 
hoped  that  the  enforced  rest  of  a  long  voyage,  and 
the  tonic  virtue  of  change  of  air  and  scene,  might 
effect  that  restoration  of  his  shattered  health,  which 
medicine  and  brief  intervals  of  anxious  inactivity 
had  failed  to  accomplish.  A  good  inspiration  acting 
on  his  native  energy  and  promptitude,  awoke  in 
him  the  resolution  to  make  one  bold  struggle  to 
attain  a  less  dependent  and  straitened  position  than 
that  of  a  clerk.  He  determined,  if  possible,  to 
obtain,  through  his  maternal  connections,  an  intro- 
duction to  some  wholesale  houses  in  England. 

In   pursuance   of    these   objects,   Mr.   and   Mi-s. 
Powell  embarked  for  England  on  the  7th  of  April, 

1848,  in  the  "  Fox,"  commanded  by  Captain , 

a  devout  man,  who  every  evening  assembled  the 
passengers,  and  as  many  of  the  sailors  as  the  cuddy 
would  hold,  for  thanksgiving,  prayer,  and  the  read- 
ing and  exposition  of  the  Word  of  God.  As  the 
Antipodal  May  corresponds  with  our  November,  our 
travellers  suffered  much  from  extreme  cold  during 


the  earlier  weeks  of  the  voyage.      No  care   could 
save  the  gorgeous  Australian  birds  which  they  were 
bearing  as  presents  and  mementos  from  the  birth- 
place of  their  children  to  the  country  of  their  kin. 
The  ice-king  also  levied  heavy  contributions  on  their 
commissariat,  a  hundred  aud  ninety-two  capons  hav- 
ing perished  in   four  days.     Mr.   Powell  himself, 
being  in  very  low  health,  was  utterly  unable  to  bear 
up  against  the  rigor  of  the  season.     He  could  not 
so  much  as  make  the  accustomed  entries  in   his 
journal ;  a   duty  which  was,  however,  undertaken 
by  his  wife,  though  she,  too,  was  near  her  confine- 
ment, and  "  wretchedly  ill."    Their  route  was  by 
the  "  formidable  Horn."     They  endured  the  tedious 
discomfort  of  a  voyage  of  four  months  and  eleven 
days,  seeing,  for  the  most  part,  "  naught  but  the 
restless  plain."     For  weeks  the  wind  was  not  only 
piercing,  but  baffling  and  adverse.     They  beguiled 
as  they   might    the   weary   weeks;    watching   the 
white  foam  fly  off  their  bow ;  "  chatting  al)out  all 
that  we  have  left,  and  all  that  we  are  going  to ; " 
recalling  day  by  day  the  home  occupations  inter- 
mitted for  so  long  a  time. 

They  did  not  fail  to  note  the  few  incidents  which 
relieve  the  monotony  and  cheer  the  confinement  of 
a  long  sojourn  on  the  sea ;  e.g. — 

"  April  25th.— A  whale  forty  feet  long  came  with- 
in two  hundred  yards  of  the  ship.  The  morning 
was  sufficiently  clear  to  enable  the  captain  to  take 
an  observation,  which  made  us  yet  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  miles  from  Cape  Horn." 

"  Sunday,  May  7th.— Had  a  few  glimpses  of  the 


li! 


80 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


Bun.  Early  this  morning  quite  a  sensation  was 
created  by  the  sudden  cry  of  a  sail,  seen  undoubtedly 
by  several  on  board.  It  proved,  however,  to  be  a 
mere  illusion,  a  marine  mirage ;  being  but  the  re- 
flection of  our  own  sliip.  Had  Divine  service  in 
the  cuddy.  The  captain  read  an  excellent  sermon 
in  the  morning,  and  in  the  afternoon  two  of  eTames's 
Pastoral  Addresses,  and  another  good  discourse  in 
the  evening.     Wind  still  contrary." 

"  May  10th.— Still  contrary  wind,  barometer  very 
low,  foreshowing  high  winds.  We  were  called  on 
deck  last  night  to  see  a  lunar  rainbow." 

"July  4th. — Have  seen  a  great  number  of  dol- 
phins.    Caught  one  of  them." 

"Sunday,  6th.— Divine  service.  Texts  suitable. 
In  the  morning, '  What  I  say  unto  you  I  say  unto 
all,  Watch.'     In  the  evening,  the  history  of  Jonah." 

"  27th. — Spoke  the  '  Ben  Lomond,'  a  fine  ship  of 
a  thousand  tons.  She  had  spoken  a  French  brig, 
which  gave  her  the  news  of  another  French  revolu- 
tion." 

"  Sunday,  August  7th.— Could  not  have  Divine 
service,  as  we  are  passing  through  the  Channel 
between  two  of  the  Azores.  At  three  p.m.  we  were 
close  to  both  of  them.  The  land  is  high,  and  at 
first  sight  the  hills  seemed  rocky  and  barren ;  but, 
on  a  nearer  view,  we  found  them  richly  cultivated. 
We  could  distinguish  a  windmill,  a  church,  a  castle, 
and  several  houses." 

Two  events,  however,  served  materially  to  break 
the  tedium  of  that  protracted  voyage.  On  the 
23d  of  May,  at  midnight,  whilst  the  ship  was  stag- 


T 


f 


HIS   FIEST  VOYAGE  TO  ENGLAND. 


81 


gering  about  Cape  Horn,  driven  by  an  adverse  wind 
into  dangerous  proximity  to  it,  and,  unable  to  round 
the  Falklands,  was  feeling  and  forcing  her  way 
through  the  seething  Straits  of  Magellan,  in  a  wild 
snow-storm,  Mr.  Powell's  iirst-born  son  entered  this 
tempestuous  world.  The  birth  was  quite  an  event 
in  the  ship's  history,  and  was  duly  chronicled  in  the 

log. 

The  other  enlivening  event  is  thus  recorded,  after 
many  entries  of  "contrary  winds"  and  "calms," 
and  "  very  heavy  weather." 

"June   26th.— This  evening,  with  a  fair   wind, 
we  entered  the  beautiful  harbor  of  Bahia.      The 
coast  scenery  is  picturesque  and  lovely  in  the  high- 
est degree.     The  bay  is  spacious.     The  light-house 
stands  on  an  elevated  point,  at  the  termination  of  a 
noble  range  of  hills,  stretching  as  far  as  the  eye  can 
reach.     On  nearing  the  city,  one's  dreams  of  fairy- 
land seem  almost  realized.     The  green  hills,  bathing 
their  feet  in  the  white  foam ;  the  strange  but  grace- 
ful trees ;  the  novel  and  yet  handsome  buildings  of 
an   immense   city,  containing   about   two  hundred 
thousand   inhabitants,   and   terracing   a  lofty   hill, 
form  a  view  of  surpassing  magnificence  and  beauty. 
A  commanding  fort  stands  in  the   centre  of  the 
harbor.     We  were  not  long  here  before  we  were 
boarded  by  an  oflicer  from  a  splendid  Portuguese 
frigate,  of   sixty-four  guns,  which   lay  at   anchor, 
offering  us  any  services  we  might  require,  and  in- 
viting the  captain  and  passengers    on  board  the 
frigate.     They  confirmed  the  startling  intelligence 

of  another  French  Kevolution." 
4* 


i  i 

i  : 


82 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


To  one  who  up  to  the  age  of  twenty-six  had  never 
beheld  a  town  larger  than  the  little  capital  of 
Tasmania,  Bahia  must  have  been  an  imposing 
spectacle. 

"June  27th. — The  passengers  went  on  shore. 
The  scenery  formed  a  rich  contrast  to  the  silent 
plains  and  sombre  woodlands  of  Australia.  The 
cocoa-nut  palm,  tlie  bread-fruit  plantain,  and  the 
oranjre-tree,  covered  the  hills  in  delicious  luxuriance. 
The  bay  was  studded  with  fishing  and  trading  ves- 
sels of  all  shapes  and  sizes ;  ships  were  tacking  out 
and  in,  and  some  hundred  and  fifty  vessels  anchored 
near  the  town.  The  various  consulates  are  hand- 
some buildings,  ranging  along  the  hill,  at  the  j^oint 
of  which  the  light-house  stands.  But  *the  lower 
town '  is  extremely  dirty ;  the  wharf  is  a  narrow, 
shabby  landing-place,  and  along  its  extent  are  built 
rows  of  dirty  stores,  from  two  to  six  stories  high. 
The  negroes  perform  every  description  of  labor. 
Some  are  selling  refreshments,  toys,  etc.  ;  others 
carry  water  and  heavy  burdens.  Every  one  of 
them  sends  out  some  distinctive  cry,  the  most  heav- 
ily laden  the  loudest ;  and  as  there  are  thousands  of 
these  shouters  continually  in  the  streets,  the  aggre- 
gate uproar  is  deafening.  Sedan-chairs  form  the 
mode  of  conveyance  for  all  classes,  from  the  Gover- 
nor to  the  poor  mulatto.  Those  belonging  to  pri- 
vate individuals  are,  of  course,  handsomer,  and 
have  bearers  better  dressed  than  those  let  out  on 
hire.  The  churches  are  very  numerous,  with  tall 
steeples,  vast  domes,  and  huge  bells ;  most  of  which 
are    generally  clanging,  apparently  in   the  pious 


if 


HIS   FIBST   VOYAGE   TO   ENGLAND. 


83 


effort  to  drown  the  commercial  clamor  of  the  streets. 
Many  of  the  churches  are  magnificently  decorated, 
both  without   and  within.     The   grandeur   of   the 
cathedral,  as  seen  from  the  entrance,  quite  astonish- 
ed us.     We  had  read  and  heard  of  the  splendor  of 
Koman  Catholic  churches,  but  the  reality  far  sur- 
passed imagination.     The  first  object  which  arrested 
our  attention  was  an  exquisitely  carved  image  of 
the  Saviour,  immediately  above  the  altar ;  on  which 
stood  massive  candlesticks,  as  long  as  a  tall  man, 
with  the  other  glittering  paraphernalia  of  Popish 
worship.     The  pulpits   are  of   solid  marble,  elabo- 
ately  and  tastefully  carved.     The  side  aisles  and 
transepts  are  fitted  up  with  confessionals,  and  the 
innumerable  niches  in  the  walls  seemed  occupied 
by  the  whole  Pantheon  of  Popery.     The  roof  looked 
like  a  broad  firmament,  curiously  constellated  with 
carven  and  gilded   devices;  the   centre  being  an 
immense  sun,  surrounded  by  groups  of  angels.     We 
could  have  spent  hours  in  examining  this  grand 
work  of  art,  the  receptacle  of  so  many  smaller 
works  of  art,  but  felt  little  drawn  to  devotion. 

"  Thence  to  the  market,  where  we  found  nothing 
so  remarkable  as  the  thousands  of  negroes,  vending 
all  manner  of  fruits,  and  gorgeous  parrots,  and 
other  rare  and  lovely  birds.  Some  were  busily 
plaiting  mats  and  sombreros.  We  went  into  two 
or  three  shops,  one  a  perfumer's,  luxuriously  fitted 
up,  with  a  variety  of  little  elegances  in  glass-cases. 
On  our  way  back,  we  passed  through  many  crowded, 
narrow,  squalid  streets,  some  quite  lined  with  palan- 
quins, the  bearers  of  which  hustled  us  provokingly. 


84 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


I    I 


To  escape  this  torture  we  were  obliged  to  purchase 
the  services  of  one  of  our  tormentors ;  and  so,  for 
the  first  time,  experienced  the  dignity  of  using  men 
as  beasts  of  burden.  The  dinner  at  the  hotel  com- 
prised some  fifty  different  dishes,  consisting  mainly 
of  a  vast  variety  of  stews — stewed  beef,  stewed 
tongue,  stewed  beans,  stewed  peas,  stewed  every- 
thing ;  the  most  substantial  dish  was  a  fine  turkey. 
For  dessert  came  guava  jelly,  cheese-cakes,  and 
piles  of  oranges  and  bananas.  We  had  much  noise 
and  merriment,  but  no  disorder  or  excess. 

"  We  left  Bahia  with  an  ample  supply  of  water 
and  of  oranges,  and  a  store  of  pleasing  recollections." 

Whilst  within  the  tropics  they  suffered  almost  as 
much  from  heat  as,  a  few  weeks  before,  from  cold. 
They  reached  the  English  Channel  on  the  16th  of 
August,  and  had  their  first  view  of  the  English 
coast  in  bright  summer  weather ;  and  first "  set  foot " 
on  British  soil  on  the  lOtli  of  that  month.  This  ex- 
pression was  true  of  both,  as  Mr.  Powell  had  left 
his  native  land  before  he  could  walk  or  stand  alone. 
So  happily  are  we  constituted  hy  oxxy  faithful  Crea- 
tor^ that  all  the  weariness  and  anxiety  of  the  voyage 
were  lost  sight  of  in  a  moment;  its  extremes  of 
temperature,  its  crises  of  peril,  its  winter-passage  of 
"  thq  formidable  Ilorn,"  its  threatening  storms,  and 
scarcely  less  trying  calms,  all  were  as  nothing  now ; 
and  the  journal  closes,  "  after  a  long  but  delightful 
passage  of  four  calendar  months  and  eleven  days." 


CHAPTER  YIII. 


'< 


ii 


ms   KETIJEN  TO  MELBOTJKNE. LIFE   ON  BOAED  AN  EMI- 

GEANT   SHIP. 

We  shall  henceforward  give  but  few  extracts  from 
Mr.  Powell's  spiritual  diary.  Those  which  we  have 
ah'eady  given  have  allowed  a  privileged  access  to  his 
inner  life,  and  have  opened  the  secret  pathway  to 
the  sources  of  his  perennial  kindness,  integrity,  and 
usefulness.  Thej^  have  demonstrated  that  his  secret 
communion  with  God  had  stamped  upon  his  brow 
"  the  beauty  of  holiness,"  and  that  his  sweetness 
and  benignity  of  character  had  only  been  attained 
by  severe,  protracted,  and  strongly-contested  strug- 
gles with  his  natural  temper  and  disposition. 

Btit  there  is  a  certain  monotonousness  inseparable 
from  a  daily  record  of  the  alternations  and  vicissi- 
tudes of  his  Christian  life.  We  are  not  to  look  for 
graces  of  style  or  flowers  of  rhetoric  in  a  spiritual 
more  than  in  a  commercial  day-book.  To  many 
readers,  too,  there  is  such  a  dread  of  everything 
which  savors  of  cant,  that  they  are  suspicious  of 
even  the  simplest  utterances  of  earnest  godliness. 
And  yet  the  language  of  Canaan  varies  very  little 
throughout  the  tribes  of  Israel.  How  curious  it  is 
to  note  that  Miss  Mitford,  for  example,  when  age 
and  sickness  bring  her  face  to  face  with  death  and 


8Q 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


HIS   EETURN   TO   MELBOUENE. 


87 


eternity,  falls  into  the  same  phraseology  of  which 
she  had  made  such  graceful  and  good-natured  sport, 
when  used  some  twenty  years  before  by  a  "  Method- 
ist "  acquaintance,  who  ventured  to  manifest  some 
interest  in  her  soul,  and  which  she  had  once  regard- 
ed as  the  \ery  patois  of  enthusiasm  ! 

Our  extracts  must  now,  however,  be  of  a  different 
kind,  presenting  another  phase  of  his  well-rounded 
character.  Every  scene  through  which  he  passed 
was  to  him  a  field  of  observation.  The  journal, 
which  took  its  rise  from  the  sternest  principle,  be- 
came at  length  a  passion  and  a  necessity.  He 
seemed  as  if  resolved  to  arrest  the  evanescence  of 
our  mortal  life,  by  sketching  and  fixing  those  feat- 
ures of  each  succeeding  day  which  gave  it  individ- 
uality and  meaning.  Thus  his  journal  became  a 
strange  miscellany.  Some  smart  and  fool-rebuking 
retort  stands  side  by  side  with  programmes  of  stren- 
uous self -culture  ;  and  comic  photographs  of  odd 
situations  alternate  with  the  gravest  notices  of  spir- 
itual progress  or  recession.  The  aspect  of  his  nat- 
ure, which  the  present  chapter  specially  reveals,  is 
his  exquisite  sense  of  the  ludicrous,  his  genuine  love 
of  fun,  his  keen  appreciation  of  the  grotesque  ele- 
ment of  human  life,  in  fact,  his  broad  geniality  of 
nature.  Mr.  Butters,  who  knew  him  intimately 
from  his  conversion  to  his  death,  says,  "  that  with  all 
his  earnestness  and  eagerness,  he  was  the  merriest 
fellow  I  ever  met  with  in  my  life."  Nor  is  this 
strange,  or  in  any  wise  exceptional.  The  corre- 
spondence between  him  and  the  noble-natured  Daniel 
Draper,  overflows  with  lively  drollery.    For  cheer- 


fulness, like  praise,  is  comely  to  the  upright.  Hence 
earnest  men  are,  in  a  double  sense,  the  best  company 
in  the  world.  A  fixed  heart  is  a  light  heart.  My 
heart  is  fixed,  O  God,  my  heart  is  fixed :  I  will  smg 

and  give  praise." 

Mr  and  Mrs.  Powell  remained  in  England  nearly 
six  months.     The  voyage,  the  marvels  of  his  native 
land  never  seen  till  manhood,  gazed  at  with  childish 
wonder  and  adult  intelligence;  the  warm  welcome 
of  relations  of  whom  he  had  heard  so  much,  but 
seen  nothing  ;  and,  above  all,  the  long  vacation  from 
the  daily  strain  and  worry  of  business,  told  most 
favorably    upon    his    health.      Although    he    had 
passed  through  two  winters  in  the  twelvemonth,  one 
on  either  side  of  the  globe,  one  on  sea,  and  one  on 
land,  yet,  when  he  stepped  on  board  the  good  ship 
in  Plymouth  Sound,  on  the  5th  of  February,  1849, 
he  found  himself  a  much  haler  and  healthier  man, 
than  when,  ten  months  before,  he  had  lost  sight  of 
the  Australian  coast.     He    had  accomplished  the 
main  object  of  his  visit,  having  obtained  an  intro- 
duction to  some  first-class  houses  in  the  iron  trade. 
He  had  also  laid  in  a  good  stock  of  well-chosen 
books.     He  was  commencing  another  stage  in  his 
heavenward  pilgrimage.    Like  Jacob,  he  had  gone 
forth  to  visit  the  land  of  his  race,  his  parents'  coun- 
try and  kindred,  which  was  to  him,  moreover,  the 
unremembered    land  of  birth.      Instead  of  four 
hundred  miles  of  desert,  he  had  traversed  twelve 
thousand  miles  of  ocean ;  he  had  come  not  to  find  a 
wife,  but  accompanied  by  his  Tasmanian  bride  and 
his  sea-born  son.     Before  he  undertook  that  journey, 


88 


LIFE    OF    WALTER   POWELL. 


HIS  BETUEN   TO  MELBOURNE. 


89 


i'i 


he  had  seen  the  ladder  of  light,  and  had  heard,  and 
assented  to,  the  gracious  overtures  of  God.  lie  had 
set  his  seal  to  God's  covenant,  saying,  "  If  God  will 
be  with  me,  and  keep  me  in  tlie  way  which  I  go, 
and  give  me  bread  to  eat,  and  raiment  to  put  on, 
and  bring  me  home  in  peace,  then  the  Lord  shall  be 
my  God,  and  of  all  that  Thou  givest  me,  I  will 
surely  give  a  tenth  unto  Thee." 

The  return  voyage  differed  from  the  outward  in 
many  points,  besides  the  total  change  of  course. 
Our  travellers  were  obliged  to  take  a  crowded  emi- 
grant ship,  there  being  no  other  for  Port  Phillip 
direct.  She  had  on  board  two  hundred  and  lifty 
emigrants,  and  six  saloon  passengei's,  including  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Powell,  and  the  surgeon-superintendent. 

I  shall  make  a  few  extracts,  which  will  suffice  to 
give  continuity  to  the  thread  of  our  story,  to  illus- 
trate Mr.  Powell's  unremitting  self-culture  and 
thoughtful  piety,  in  striking  combination  with  a 
vivid  interest  in  all  human  matterb.  We  also  gain 
amusing  sketches  of  life  on  board  an  emigrant, ship. 

"  Sunday,  February  11th. — Many  of  the  emigrants 
deplorably  ill.  The  doctor,  after  calling  over  their 
names,  was  about  to  proceed  with  Divine  service, 

when  he  was  hoisted  from  the  poop  by  Mr. , 

who  demanded  to  know  whether  he  meant  to  let  the 
sick  people  die  for  want  of  attention.  A  ^ne fracas 
ensued,  the  altercation  was  violent ;  but  after  this 
unseemly  introduction,  order  being  partially  re- 
covered, the  service  commenced,  and  continued  in 
spite  of  many  interruptions.  The  sermon  was  from 
the  words,  *  Come  thou  into  the  ark.' " 


Judging  from  subsequent  entries,  which  it  is  not 
expedient  to  print  in  full,  the  emigrant  ship  afforded 
as  rich  advantages  for  studying  the  natural  history 
of  the  human  species,  as  did  Noah's  structure  for 
showing  the  instincts  and  habitudes  of  clean  and 

unclean  beasts. 

"  Monday,  12th. — ^Wind  contrary.  Storm  in  the 
saloon,  in  consequence  of  the  doctor's  forbidding 
the  gentleman  who  interfered  with  his  clerical 
functions  yesterday  any  further  intercourse  with  the 

emigrants." 

"  Tuesday,  13th.— At  the  tea-table  was  enabled  by 
the  grace  of  God  to  express  my  opinion  of  the  prac- 
tice of  profane  swearing,  and  trust  that  this  awful 
habit  will  be  checked.  Our  time  is  passing  pleas- 
antly; our  little  boy  being  a  constant  source  of 
amusement.  I  am  reading  with  great  interest 
Alison's  '  History  of  Europe.'  May  God  still  pros- 
per us,  and  enable  us  to  live  to  His  glory  !  " 

A  healthy  baby  on  board  ship  is  a  blessing  to  the 
whole  community  ;  everyone  in  turn  is  a  nurse  and 

a  playmate. 

"  14th. — One  of  the  children  died,  and  was  com- 
mitted to  the  deep.  I  was  drawn  to  muse  upon  the 
glorious  salvation  which  Christ  has  wrought  for 
children  dying  in  infancy,  and  to  remind  myself  of 
the  Lord's  admonition,  ^  Be  ye  also  ready.'  Several 
of  the  emigrants  in  a  pitiable  plight.  But  those 
who  are  well  amuse  themselves  in  the  evening  with 
singing,  dancing,  and  playing  on  the  ffute,  violin, 
and  clarionet." 


-r 


90 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  ^O^VELL. 


«16tli. Read  an  instructive  meditation  on  tlic 

difference  between  '  Knowledge  and  Wisdom.' " 

u  i7tli.— Favorable  wind  and  weather,  but  half  a 
cralc  between  the  captain  and  the  doctor  about  the 
treatment  of  the  poor  sick  emigrants.  I  read  an 
essay  on  '  Inadequate  Views  of  our  Fallen  Nature. 
The  sea  superbly  phosphorescent :  a  shoal  of  por- 
poises showed  grand  and  grim,  like  a  vision  of  mon- 
sters w^eltering  in  fire." 

«  Sunday,  18th.— Service  this  morning,  and  a 
prayer-meeting  on  deck  this  evening.  Two  of  the 
emigrants  offered  prayer,  and  all  seemed  greatly 
pleaW  with  the  service." 

u  19th  —The  trade-wind  is  rapidly  bearmg  us  mto 
hot  weather,  but  the  oppressive  days  are  richly  com- 
pensated  by  the  magnificently  starry  mghts.  We 
have  made  good  way ;  as  I  have  also  in  reading 
Alison  The  doctor  commenced  a  school ;  and  i 
proposed  a  Sunday-schm.1,  and  was  accepted  as  a 

teacher 

"Wednesday,  2l8t.-Wc  had  Divine  Bcn-ioc  at 
mid-day.     The  doctor  read  one  of  Burder  s    Village 

Sermons.' "  .-,-,* 

«  24th  -Keading  '  Protestantism  m  Fi-ance,  from 
1584  to  1685.'  Also, '  A  Memoir  of  Thirza,  a  con- 
Terted  Jewess.'    I  feel  my  heart  drawn  to  the  ba- 

viour  of  sinners."  . 

» Sunday,  25th.-Near  Brava  and  the  volcanic 
island  Fuego.  Divine  service  as  nsnal  atele-.,a,id 
in  the  evening  hymns  and  prayers^  The  two  ic- 
li<,iou8  emigrants  offered  prayer.  Read  a  part  of 
.Modern  Jerusalem.'     Also  Wesley's  sermon  on 


I 


T 


J 

I 


HIS   RETURN   TO  MELBOUENE. 


91 


'  Speak  evil  of  no  man.'     Lord,  ever  remind  me  of 

this  Thy  benign  command.     Mr. threw  one  of 

the  beds,  placed  on  the  poop  to  air,  at  the  doctor, 
which  struck  him  on  the  head  so  violently  as  to 
knock  him  down.  This  offended  the  passengers 
more  than  the  doctor,  who  seems  to  have  been  so 
stunned  by  the  blow  as  to  think  it  an  accident,  or  is 
so  meek  as  to  give  it  that  interpretation." 

"  27th.— Walking  up  the  poop,  after  reading  in 
my  cabin  this  morning,  I  found  the  married  men 
amongst  the  emigrants  in  a  state  of  mild  mutiny 
against  the  doctor,  making  threatening  demonstra- 
tions, and  clamoring  to  be  transferred  to  the  cai'e 
of  the  captain.  This  added  an  alien  responsibility 
the  captain  could  not  accept.  The  doctor  only  re- 
plied by  reading  the  '  Eegulations.'  I  fear  this 
move  will  rather  aggravate  than  relieve  our  disturb- 
ances." 

"  February  28th. — The  heat  overpowering.  More 
troubles  amongst  the  emigrants,  who  have  much  to 
try  them.     We  have  on  board, — 

"  Married  couples,  41 82 

Single — males,  40,  females,  43 83 

Children— boys,  36,  girls,  41 77 

242" 

"March  2d. — Having  copied  all  my  invoices,  I 
installed  Annie  as  my  chief  clerk.  We  checked 
them  carefully  ;  my  clerk  doing  very  well  for  a  be- 
ginning ;  but  when  we  came  to  certain  articles  of 
household  furniture,  her  clerkship  suddenly  forgot 


92 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


her  place,  and  insisted  on  approi^riating  several  of 
them,  not  only  for  use,  but  also  for  ornament. 

"  The  portion  of  Scripture  i-ead  this  moniing  was 
Eev.  ii.  The  peculiar  promise  liere  is, '  To  Mm  that 
overcometh.^  What  a  breadth  and  urgency  of  ap- 
plication belong  to  these  words !  How  mucli  to  be 
overcome  daily  everywhere,  both  by  resistance  and 
attack !     Lord,  increase  my  faith ! " 

"  3d. — Notwithstanding  the  monotony  of  the  voy- 
age, the  days  seem  to  pass  very  quickly.  We  reach 
the  end  of  the  week  before  we  are  aware.  Near 
the  'tween-decks  at  night  it  is  like  an  oven.  Tho 
emigrants  endeavor  to  avoid  the  heat  by  sleeping  in 
the  boats,  under  the  stairs,  or  anywhere  they  can 
find  a  little  shelter." 

"  Sunday,  4th.— Another  death  tliis  morning  ;  a 
maiTied  woman.  She  was  attacked  suddenly  last 
night.  Another  loud  summons.  '  Prepare  to  meet 
thy  God.'  She  suffered  fearfully  from  heat  and 
thii-st." 

"  Gth. — Hotter  and  hotter.  Many  of  the  female 
emigrants  unwell;  the  poop  transformed  into  an 
hospital.  Dispute  between  the  captain  and  two  of 
the  saloon  passengers,  because  he  %vould  not  leave 
his  duty  to  play  cards." 

"  7th. — Making  about  a  knot  an  hour.  Was  very 
much  impressed  in  my  Bible  reading  this  morning 
with  the  truth  that '  to  obey  is  bettor  than  sacrifice,' 
from  the  fact  that  one  so  devout  and  zealous  as  the 
good  King  Josiah  should  have  his  useful  life  cut 
short  in  an  engagement,  entered  upon  in  opposition 
to  the  express  command  of  God." 


HIS  EETUEN   TO   MELBOURNE. 


93 


t 


•>!        t 


"  8th. — Made  only  five  miles  in  the  last  twenty- 
four  hours.  Lat.  4^  48'.  The  poop  nearly  full  of 
emigrants  ill  with  the  heat.  Another  stormy  debate 
between  the  colonel  and  the  doctor,  about  the  emi- 
grants sleeping  on  the  poop." 

"  10th. — An  examination  held  in  the  captain's 
cabin,  on  an  emigrant  who  had  committed  an  assault 
on  another.  Sentenced  to  appear  before  the  police 
office,  on  arrival  at  Melbourne." 

"  Sunday,  11th. — Divine  service  sadly  interrupted 
by  the  insubordination  of  the  emigrants,  over  whom 
the  surgeon-superintendent  has  lost  all  control  and 
all  influence,  excepting  to  excite  their  ridicule. 
This  lamentably  spoils  the  peace  and  harmony  of 
our  little  community.  I  employed  my  Sabbath 
morning  in  reading  Ford's  '  Laodicea,'  and  trust 
that  the  solemn  and  just  arguments  there  employed 
to  arouse  Christians  from  their  lethargy  may  not  be 
lost  on  me.     '  Save,  Lord,  or  I  perish ! '" 

"  12th. — Squally  weather.  Sharp  disputes  on 
board.  Mr. interfering  with  the  doctor,  blam- 
ing him  for  frequent  bleeding  of  an  epileptic  woman ; 
after  that  a  comic,  loud-voiced  altercation  between 
the  doctor  and  some  Irish  girls,  who  had  been  repri- 
manded by  him  for  their  attentions  to  the  first  mate. 
The  poor  doctor  had  no  chance  with  the  arch  Hi- 
bernians, lie  was  ingloriously  driven  from  the 
field  by  volleys  of  irresistible  laughter.  These  quar- 
rels, like  the  squalls,  are  unpleasant  breaks  in  the 
monotony  of  our  voyage.  Spoke  the  '  James  Gibbs,' 
emigrant  ship.  Her  captain  and  doctor  came  on 
board,  and  our  saloon  passengei*s  returned  the  visit. 


u 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


} 


"We  spent  two  liours  on  board  the  *  James  Gibbs,'  and 
were  delighted  with  her  discij3line  and  cleanliness. 
Oar  doctor  was  so  much  impressed  that  we  had 
scarcely  regained  our  ship  before  he  commenced  a 
most  vigorous  reform,  assuming  a  resolution  and  an 
energy  altogether  foreign  to  his  character,  and  more 
grotesque  than  imposing.  Having  heard  on  board 
the  *  James  Gibbs'  that  an  unruly  emigrant  had 
been  put  in  irons,  he  was  determined  without  delay 
to  magnify  his  authority,  and  literally  to  make  an 
example  of  some  one  or  other.  He  went  strut- 
ting about,  threatening  men  and  women  in  the  most 
overbearing  style.  He  tried  to  stop  the  dancing  of 
the  Irish  girls,  thrusting  his  lantern  in  their  faces. 
Whereupon  one  of  them  made  of  him  an  improvised 
May-pole,  dancing  round  him  in  the  wildest  glee. 
The  doctor  seemed  to  take  to  his  new  character  re- 
markably well.  He  stood  stock-still,  as  if  stuck 
there  for  the  very  purpose.  At  every  pause  in  the 
performance,  the  emigrants  clapped  and  encored, 
and  the  music  jangled  all  the  while.  The  doctor 
did  not  recover  from  his  fascination  till  the  breath- 
less girl  sat  down.  He  then  became  terrible,  foam- 
ing with  rage,  and  ordering  her  below,  amidst  deri- 
sive advices  to  put  her  in  irons.  To  these  marine 
theatricals  we  had  an  unpleasant  afterpiece  in  the 
cuddy,  the  captain  not  caring  to  interfere." 

"14th. — Four  vessels  in  sight.  All  calm  and 
bright,  excepting  another  violent  altercation  be- 
tween two  female  emigrants.  In  the  evening  had  a 
pleasant  conversation  with  the  cuddy  passengei"s  on 
personal    religion.       Studying    Cobbett's    English 


f 


V 


f 


HIS   EETUKN   TO   MELBOUENE. 


95 


Grammar,  feeling  the  necessity  of  understanding 
the  principles  of  my  mother-tongue  better  than  I 
now  do."  This  beginning  at  the  beginning  of  self- 
education  is  characteristic  and  instructive. 

"  17th.— St.  Patrick's  Day.     The  Irish  emigrants 
made  some  shamrocks.     Crossed    the   Line.     The 
captain  waived  his  declared  aversion  to  the  usual 
ceremonies,  but  quietly  advised  the  doctor  to  send 
the  emigrants  below,  for  fear  the  sailors  might  be 
too  rough  for  some  of  them.     The  masquerade  was 
not  without  a  rude,  good-natured  humor.     Neptune 
and  Amphitrite  were  charioted  on  a  gun-carriage, 
with  classical   attendants  in  masks,  smeared  with 
lamp-black,  and  guarded  by  a  human-visaged  lion, 
clothed  like  a  false  prophet,  in  sheep-skins.     They 
demanded    to   initiate   into    the   mysteries   of   the 
Equator  those  of  the  crew  who  had  not  before 
passed  it.      About  half  a  dozen  sailors  were  duly 
lathered  with   tar,  grease,  and   turpentine,   mixed 
with  black  paint,  scraped  with  a  key-hole  saw,  and 
plunged  into  a  large  tub.     This  operation  they  bore 
with  infinite  good-humor.     But,  of  course,  the  doc- 
tor must  play  the  principal  part  in  the  pantomime. 
To  decoy  him. from  the  poop,  Mrs.  Neptune  was 
suddenly  seized  with  a  fainting-fit.     She  fell  heavily 
upon   the  deck;  her  attendants,  with  loyal   alarm 
and  tenderness,  raised  her  in  a  state  of  helpless  un- 
consciousness, and  propped  her  up  against  the  main- 
mast.     The  doctor's  aid   was   anxiously  implored. 
This  time,  no  one  could  accuse  him  of  negligence 
or  want  of  sympathy.     He  Imrried  from  the  poop, 
and  whilst  bending  over  his  mythological  patient, 


96 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


I 


was  suddenly  drenched  with  a  bucket  of  salt  water, 
— of  course  intended  to  revive  the  fainting  goddess ! 
At  all  events  it  had  that  efPect,  altliough  absorbed 
by  the  doctor  instead  of  the  patient.  The  swooning 
immortal  was  instantly  herself  again,  and  her  phy- 
sician, finding  that  his  services  were  no  longer 
required,  proceeded  to  withdraw;  but  her  attend- 
ants kept  him  in  an  enchanted  circle,  until  they  had 
saturated  him  with  libations  of  their  monarch's 
element.  The  emigrants  now  jt^ining  in  the  play, 
and  crowding  round  the  leading  figure,  several 
buckets  of  salt  water  were  distributed  amongst  them 
from  the  main-top.  The  scene  closed  very  harm- 
lessly, and  accomplished  its  purpose, — an  amusing 
change  in  the  dreariness  of  a  long  voyage.  About 
an  hour  afterwards  we  sighted  a  homeward-bound 
vessel,  some  seven  miles  aliead.  We  all  forgot  the 
frolic  in  thoughts  of  the  friends  we  had  left  behind, 
and  set  briskly  to  work  writing  letters.  They  were 
conveyed  to  the  stranger  in  the  captain's  boat.  She 
put  her  sails  aback,  and  received  them  on  board. 
Slie  proved  to  be  the  '  John  Daniel,'  from  Batavia  to 
Rotterdam.  The  captain,  with  injudicious  gener- 
osity sent  back  to  us  several  case-bottles  of  spirits, 
with  almonds  and  cigars.  The  gift  was  unfortunate, 
as  the  doctor  showed  his  forgiving  spirit  by  not  only 
dispensing  the  liquors,  but  by  allowing  a  quantity  of 
porter  besides.  The  result  was  that  the  emigrants' 
steward,  the  third  mate,  and  the  carpenter,  became 
mad  drunk ;  and  the  two  latter  so  violent,  that  the 
captain  was  obliged  to  confine  one  of  them,  and  put 
handcuffs  on  the  other,  and  bind  him  to  the  side  of 


^L 


J' 


HIS   RETURN   TO   MELBOURNE. 


97 


the  vessel,  where  he  kicked  and  cursed  for  hours, 
till  completely  exhausted.  Thus  miserably  ended 
the  entertainment  of  the  day." 

"Sunday,  18th.— All  calm  and  peaceful,  calcu- 
culated  to  draw  the  mind  to  the  Author  of  peace. 
All  praise  to  Him  for  the  blessed  Sabbath  and  its 
holy  services,  so  sweet  and  elevating  even  on  the 

sea!"  ,.    ^ 

« 19th.— Still  at  Cobbett.     My  little  boy  this  day 

said  '  Papa.'     Sweet  sound  to  a  father's  ears ! " 

"20th.— One   of   the  married   female  emigrants 
died.     She  caught  a  slight  cold  through  the  playful 
drenching  three  days  ago.     She  complained  a  little 
on  the   next   day,  and^  died   this  morning   at  ten 
o'clock,  shortly  after  taking  a  dose  of  turpentine 
administered  by  the  doctor.     The  scene  was  heart- 
rending.     Her    seven  children    threw  themselves 
down  with  the  most  piercing  exclamations  of  grief. 
Her  loss  to  them  is  irretrievable.     She  had  brought 
them  up  respectably,  and  with  great  care.     The 
captain  did  not  intend  to  bury  her  till  to-morrow, 
but  the  poor  father,  doubtless  anxious  to  bury  his 
dead  out  of  his  children's  sight,  requested  that  her 
body  might  be  committed  to  the  deep  this  afternoon. 
The  colonel  read  the  Burial  Service,  the  emigrants 
mournfully  gathered  around.     While  the  sad  words 
were  said, '  Man  that  is  born  of  woman  hath  but  a 
short  time  to  live,  and  is  full  of   misery,'  how 
solemnly  did  they  sink  into  my  soul !     I  had  heard 
them  read  over  father,  mother,  brother,  sister,  friend, 
and  child,  but  never  did  they  speak  so  home  to  my 
heart  as  on  that  bright  day,  above  that  sparkling 
6 


98 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


sea,  surrounded  by  that  crowd  of  strangers  and  of 
pilgrims.  I  felt,  as  I  had  scarcely  ever  felt  before, 
on  what  a  precarious  tenure  life  is  held,  and  the 
momentousness  of  death,  as  fixing  forever  the  char- 
acter and  the  condition  of  the  soul.  When  will 
this  service  be  read  over  me?  What  will  be  my 
state  when  friends  gather  round  my  lifeless  form  ? 
The  case  of  our  departed  fellow-traveller  is  solemnly 
impressive.  She  was  in  high  health  three  days  ago, 
but  now  her  dead  body  is  left  far  behind  us,  beneath 
the  mighty  deep.    Wliy  are  we  spared  who  still 

voyage  on  ?     Mra.  C had  no  idea  this  morning 

that  death  was  near.  It  was  a  most  lovely  evening 
when  the  corpse  was  borne  on  deck,  stretched  on  the 
captain's  bed,  the  British  flag  shrouding  the  body 
of  one  of  Britain's  daughters,  who,  six  weeks  before, 
had  left  her  shores  with  the  praiseworthy  purpose  of 
improving  her  children's  prospects  by  leaving  her 
own  fatherland.  The  sun  was  just  setting,  with 
tropical  suddenness  and  splendor,  and  seemed  like 
hers  to  go  down  while  it  was  yet  day.  A  gorgeous 
equatorial  sky  was  stretched  above  us,  and  reflected 
in  the  heaving  deep.  There  was  no  sound  but  the 
deep-voiced,  measured  reading  of  our  soldier- 
chaplain,  the  lapping  waves,  the  creaking  timbers, 
the  smothered  sobs,  the  sudden  splash.  May  we 
not  hope,  as  well  as  pray,  that  through  faith  in  the 
precious  blood  of  Christ,  our  end  may  be  peaoe,  and 
our  7'eat  he  glorious  f  " 

"Sunday,  25th. — Divine  service  and  disgraceful 
bickerings,  both  as  usual' 


HIS  RETURN  TO  MELBOURNE. 


m 


"  27th.— Finished  Mungo  Park's  Travels.  Wrote 
a  letter  to  my  old  band-mate,  Thomas  Bonner." 

"  30th.— A  child  died." 

"  31st.— Amused  myself  by  arranging  'What 
fairy-like  Music '  for  the  emigrants." 

"  Sunday,  April  1st.— Ileard  some  of  the  boys 
read  the  New  Testament,  and  questioned  into  them 
the  second  chapter  of  Matthew." 

"2d. — Arranged  for  the  emigrants,  'Sound  the 
loud  Timbrel.' " 

«3(i. — Amused  myself  by  arranging  two  hymn- 
tunes,  which  I  hope  to  teach  the  emigrants.  If  we 
had  but  a  piano,  we  should  get  on  famously.  At  all 
events,  singing  and  playing  hymn- tunes  will  be  a 
much  better  pastime  than  the  poor  emigrants  are 
sometimes  driven  to  by  weariness  and  want  of 
mental  and  spiritual  resources, — such  as  women 
dressing  themselves  up  in  men's  clothes." 

"Contrary  wind  for  the  last  four  days.  Yerj 
wearisome ;  perpetual  tacking,  but '  He  holdeth  the 
winds  in  Ilis  flst,'  and  we  will  thankfully  acquiesce 
in  Ilis  appointments.  AVe  have  need  of  patience, 
and  must  ask  for  it." 

"5th. — Bead  one  of  Wesley's  Sermons,  and 
studied  a  chapter  of  Cobbett's  Grammar,  in  which  I 
make  slow  progress,  as  we  are  making  in  our  voy- 
age." "Stopped  by  the  elements,"  in  both  cases; 
to  borrow  one  of  Byron's  puns. 

"  9th. — Commenced  reading  a  second  time  Bob- 
ertson's  '  Charles  V.'  A  great  number  of  the 
emigrants  ill.  My  dear  wife  and  I  are  constantly 
hearing  language  of  the  most  debasing  kind     May 


I 


100 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


it  drive  us  to  pray  to  the  holy  God,  whose  Spirit 
alone  can  save  us  from  the  demoralizing  influence 
of  '  the  filthy  conversation  of  the  wicked  ! '  " 

"  13th. — Have  been  greatly  interested  in  reading 
the  Books  of  Samuel  and  Kings  continuously,  as  I 
read  Alison  and  Robertson,  without  regard  to  the 
division  into  chapters,  or  breaking  up  the  history 
into  a  daily  portion.  The  Bible,  Gobbet t,  Eobert- 
son,  Alison,  Wesley,  etc.,  stave  off  weariness.  "With- 
out reading,  how  insupportable  would  be  the  tedium 
of  a  long  voyage  I " 

"  14th. — Copied  several  hymns,  and  composed  a 
tune." 

"  Sunday,  15th. — Gonfined  to  bed  in  a  high  fever 
from  a  severe  cold ;  but  very  happy  from  a  sense  of 
God's  forbearing  mercy  towards  me.  Annie  read  to 
me  one  of  Wesley's  Sermons." 

"  16th.— Another  death." 

"  18th. — Made  a  full  statement  of  my  affairs  in 
my  cash-book." 

"  20th. — Gopied  some  more  hymns." 

"  23d. — Finished  Ilobertson  the  second  time." 

"  24:th. — Read  Read's  *  Discourse  on  Watchful- 
ness,' and  found  in  it  quite  sufficient  to  alarm  me, 
and  stir  me  up  to  earnest  prayer." 

"25th. — Read  a  discourse  on  ^  Luke warmn ess,' 
with  much  benefit.  I  find  it  good  for  the  soul  to 
be  always  employed  in  reading,  writing,  arranging 
music,  or  taking  exercise — pacing  up  and  down 
deck.  As  the  novelty  of  voyaging  wears  off,  I  find 
that  I  can  occupy  my  time  to  great  advantage." 

"  Sunday,  29th. — The  weather  too  squally  for  ser- 


f 


HIS  EETURN  TO  MELBOUENE. 


101 


vice  on  deck.    Annie  and  I  and  two  of  the  passen- 
gers held  it  in  the  cabin." 

"May  2d.— Read  the  Life  of  Sir  Francis  Drake." 

«  4th.— Making  but  slow  progress.  Some  of  the 
passengers  relieve  the  monotony  by  the  cruel  diver- 
sion of  shooting  the  albatross  and  other  birds— re- 
strained neither  by  the  sailors'  superstition,  nor  by 
Christian  feeling." 

"  5th.— Weather  very  cold,  so  that  the  school- 
master was  not  able  to  teacli  the  children  on  deck, 
great  numbers  having  the  hooping-cough.  He 
wished  to  instruct  them  between  decks,  for  which 
he  was  deprived  of  his  office  by  the  doctor.  I  drew 
up  for  him  a  statement  and  protest." 

"  Sunday,  6th.— Read  H.  Bonar,  on '  The  Blood  of 
the  Gross,'  and  Dr.  Barth's  ^History of  the  Church.' 
Was  much  quickened  by  perusing  the  account  of  the 
sufferings  and  heroism  of  the  Christians,  during  the 
first  three  centuries.  We  are  longing  for  a  home- 
Sabbath." 

«7th. — Gne  of  our  cabin-passengers  used  such 
coarse  and  impious  language,  that  Mrs.  Powell,  who 
was  seated  next  him,  was  obliged  to  retire  to  her 
own  cabin.  Gn  my  expostulating  with  him,  far 
from  apologizing,  he  threatened  to  make  me  hold 
my  tongue.  This,  however,  he  found  himself  un- 
able to  accomplish.  The  captain  never  checks  these 
frequent  obscenities  and  blasphemies." 

"  8th. — Annie  employed  herself  in  painting  the 
poop.  Saw  a  cape  pigeon  for  the  first  time  this 
voyage.  A  shoal  of  bottle-nosed  whales  passed  us. 
Read  several  articles  in  Chambers'  Journal — a  capi- 


102 


LIFE   OF  WALTEE  POWELL. 


ins   RETURN   TO   MELBOURNE. 


103 


I 


il 


tal  book  for  a  long  voyage — the  articles  being  short 

and  varied." 

"  9th.— Eead  a  Memoir  of  Louis  Philippe." 

"  13th.— Another  death." 

«  14th.— The  father  of  the  dead  child  demanded 
an  inquiry  into  the  cause  of  its  death.  An  inquest 
was  held  in  the  captain's  cabin.  Witnesses  exam- 
ined, and  tlie  evidence  taken  down  before  the  cap- 
tain, Dr. ,  Mr. ,  and  myself.    The  court  sat 

for  two  hours  and  a  half.  Our  finding  was  very 
unfavorable  to  one  of  the  parties." 

"  15th. — Had  a  hard  day's  work  copying  the  evi- 
dence taken  yesterday.  Ilave  been  able  to  take  no 
observation  of  the  sun  for  four  days  past,  so  that, 
having  only  our  dead  reckoning  to  rely  on,  we  feel 
rather  uncomfortable.  We  can,  however,  trust  in 
Him,  who  neither  '  slumbers  by  day,  nor  sleeps  by 

night.'" 

"  18th. — Another  married  female  emigrant  died 

to-day." 

«19th. — Poor  Mrs.  Sheehan  committed  to  the 
deep.  As  she-  was  a  Eoman  Catholic,  her  husband 
would  not  allow  the  Burial  Service  to  be  read. 
Alas!  the  emigrants  seem  now  quite  as  little  im- 
pressed by  a  burial  at  sea,  as  by  an  ordinary  funeral 
on  land.  The  drowning  of  a  cat  would  have  cre- 
ated a  greater  sensation.  She  has  left  seven  chil- 
dren." 

" 22d.— Commenced  Bigland's  'Letters  on  His- 
tory.' " 

"  Sunday,  27th.— Service  in  the  cabin,  the  wind 
being  squally  and  unfavorable.    Kead  James  on 


\ 


*  The  Duty  of  Meditation.'  Surely  we  shall  make 
much  of  our  Sabbaths  on  shore,  if  spared  to  enjoy 
them  again." 

"28th. — My  twenty-seventh  birthday.  My  few 
days  have  been  full  of  evil  on  my  part.  May  *  the 
God  of  all  grace '  root  out  all  evil  from  my  heart 
before  the  day  of  death  arrives !  An  infant  severely 
hurt,  and  dangerously  ill,  througli  the  narrowness 
of  the  berth  where  it  and  its  parents  sleep ;  only 
two  feet  nine  inches  wide !  " 

"  June  2d. — Engaged  in  writing  certificates  for 
the  captain." 

"  Sunday,  3d. — Service  internipted  by  a  shower, 
and  not  resumed.  Read  Wesley's  Sermon  on  *  The 
Witness  of  the  Spirit.'  " 

"  4th. — At  half -past  three  this  morning,  the  cap- 
tain informed  us  that  Cape  Otway  light-house  was 
visible.  I  immediately  rose,  dressed,  and  went  on 
deck.  The  sun  rose  brilliantly,  and  the  shores  of 
Australia  looked  pleasant  to  our  eyes.  The  emi- 
grants forthwith  began  arranging  their  boxes.  We 
cauMit  a  lar£re  number  of  barracoots.  We  were  al- 
most  within  the  Heads ;  but  the  tide  running  out, 
the  wund  falling,  to  our  sore  disappointment,  we 
were  obliged  to  put  to  sea  again." 

"5th. — Distant  many  miles  from  the  Heads. 
Towards  evening,  made  out  the  light-house  again, 
and  the  wind  yielding  a  little  in  our  favor,  we  hope 
to  get  in  to-morrow." 

"  6th. — Entered  the  Heads  this  morning,  had  a 
beautiful  run  up  the  bay,  and  a  very  happy  meeting 
with  our  friends,  after  nearly  fourteen  months'  ab- 


104 


LIFE   OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


I 
I 


sence,  more  than  eight  of  which  we  have  passed  at 


sea. 


j> 


"  8th.— Occupied  the  whole  of  yesterday  in  pass- 
ing the  entry  of  my  goods ;  to-day  in  looking  for  a 
house.  Was  much  struck  with  the  extension  and 
improvement  of  the  town.  Its  population  is  now 
estimated  at  20,000." 

Mr.  Powell  at  once  recommenced  his  Church  ac- 
tivities. 

"  Sunday,  10th.— Visited  the  Melbourne  Sunday- 

Bchool ;  and  attended  Divine  service." 

"  30th. — This  week  has  been  mainly  occupied  in 
getting  up  two  lai-ge  sales,  which  have  gone  off  re- 
markably well ;  so  that,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  I 
hope  to  be  soon  able  to  discharge  every  obligation, 
and  ^  owe  no  man  anything  but  love.' 


>  » 


CHAPTEE  IX. 

HE  SUCCEEDS   IN  BUSINESS. 

Mr.  Powell  had  ventured  his  all,  the  reward  of 
unremitting  industiy,  and  resolute  frugality,  in  the 
endeavor  to  form  a  connection  with  some  two  or 
three  leading  firms  in  England.     His  maternal  aunt 
had  become  responsible  for  the  first  shipment  of 
goods.     This  generous  guarantee  represents  all  the 
help  that  Mr.  Powell  ever  had  in  his  life.     He  took 
a  situation  for  a  year,  in  order  to  start  on  his  owr 
account  unencumbered  by  debt.     His  principal  in- 
troductions had  been  to  houses  in  the  iron  trade. 
This  led  him  to  commence  as  an  importer  of  hard- 
ware, at  firet,  upon  a  very  cautious  scale.     As  clerk 
in  an  auctioneer's  oflice  he  had  no  special  acquaint- 
ance with  any  branch  of  business,  but  he  possessed 
some  invaluable   elements  of  success — shrewdness, 
promptitude,  punctuality,  indomitable  industry,  a 
happy  home,  and  trust  in  God.     In  connection  with 
his  wholesale  warehouse,  he  opened  a  retail  shop, 
"to  weed   off  surplus   stock."     He   expressed   his 
resolution  that  if,  after  a  fair  trial,  the  undertaking 
did  not  promise   success,  he  would  retreat  into  a 
subordinate  position,  and  content  himself  with  that 
for  life,  unless  Providence  should  make  for  him 
some  clear  opening  out  of  it.     He  felt  his  way  with 


106 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


I!: 


II 


II 


great  humility,  wariness,  and  Belf-control.  At  first 
he  had  mach  toil  with  little  profit.  lie  observed 
the  most  rigid  economy ;  never  spending  a  shilling 
on  luxury  or  self-indulgence.  At  the  same  time,  he 
adhered  to  his  plan  of  proportionate  giving,  and 
used  hospitality  without  grudging,  "  being  content 
with  such  things"  as  he  had,  and  relying  on  the 
promise,  "  I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee." 

At  that  date,  Melbourne  was  a  quiet  though 
steadily  thriving  town.  It  had  but  two  streets  with 
any  pretensions  to  regularity.  Mr.  Powell's  was 
one  of  the  few  tall  houses,  surrounded  by  wooden 
huts,  placed  according  to  the  convenience  or  fancy 
of  the  owners.  But  in  1851  the  news  burst  upon 
its  industrious  tranquillity,  that  rich  "  gold-diggings" 
had  been  opened  in  the  colony,  within  a  hundred 
miles  of  the  little  capital. 

Forthwith  almost  the  whole  population  caught  the 
"  yellow  fever,"  and  the  greater  part  of  the  males 
abandoned  home  and  business,  and  rushed  to  the 
gold-fields.  For  a  time  trade  was  suspended,  and 
Melbourne  almost  depopulated,  and  tlie  entire 
social  system  of  the  colony  disjointed.  Then  thou- 
sands streamed  in  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  For  a 
while  Melbourne  seemed  to  be  a  magnet,  drawing  to 
itself  all  the  loose  population  of  the  globe.  Wast- 
rels from  Great  Britain,  "  old  lags"  from  Tasmania 
and  New  South  Wales,  superfluous  Chinamen,  Cali- 
fornian  diggers  precipitated  themselves  on  Victoria, 
along  with  the  more  adventurous  and  sanguine  of 
the  industrious  class.  The  worth  of  real  estate  was 
quadrupled ;  month  by  month  necessities  rose  to  the 


HE  SUCCEEDS  IN  BUSINESS. 


107 


i. 


i 


..'t 


price  of  luxuries  ;  the  race  for  riches  became  reck- 
less, almost  rapid.  People  seemed  to  think  that 
gold  would  forever  grow  under  the  spade.  Mr. 
Powell  however  had  the  good  sense  to  see  that  his 
diggings  lay  at  home.  Many  hundred  spades  threw 
gold  into  his  till,  and  many  a  score  of  pickaxes 
brought  the  coined  metal  over  his  counter  before 
they  struck  upon  the  auriferous  quartz.  No  one 
toiled  harder  at  the  diggings  than  he  in  his  store. 
Clerks  and  servants  all  forsook  him.  Every  man 
his  own  clerk ^  every  lady  her  own  housemaid,  was 
the  order  of  the  day.  Mr.  Powell  had  been  guided 
to  a  business  singularly  suited  to  meet  the  utterly 
unforeseen  demand.  Money  poured  in  ;  but  sorrow 
came  along  with  it.  Two  sons  were  born  and  bur- 
ied in  two  years.  The  sudden  and  incessant  influx 
of  thousands  a  week,  for  whom  there  could  be  pro- 
vided no  adequate  accommodation,  generated  insidi- 
ous and  malignant  distempers.  A  sister  of  Mr. 
Powell  died  suddenly.  A  brother,  to  whom  he  was 
tenderly  attached,  and  to  forward  whose  interests 
he  had  recently  made  great  exertions  and  sacrifices, 
was  accidentally  killed.  Both  brother  and  sister 
left  large  families  unprovid-ed  for,  the  care  and 
maintenance  of  most  of  whom  Mr.  Powell  at  once 
undertook.  Scarlet  fever  and  measles  of  an  aggra- 
vated type  attacked  the  family.  Mr.  Powell  was 
suddenly  seized  with  dangerous  illness.  Soon  after 
his  recovery  he  was  called  to  give  up  his  firet-bom 
son,  his  fourth-born  into  the  land  of  the  blessed. 
He  had  gone  to  Geelong,  sixty  miles  from  Mel- 
bourne, to  attend  the  annual  District  Meeting,  for 


108 


LIFE   OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


1 


HE   SUCCEEDS   IN   BUSINESS. 


109 


the  transaction  of  the  financial  business  of  the  Meth- 
odist Churches   in   Victoria.      He   was   to  remain 
there  from  Wednesday  until  the  Monday  following. 
On  the  evening  of  Thursday  a  strong  premonition 
fell  upon  him  of  some  calamity  impending  over  his 
household.     He  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  night 
in  prayer.     In  the  morning  his  foreboding  deepened 
into  certainty,  and  although  the  very  business  was 
in  hand  which  his  Church-offices  required  him  to 
transact,  and  he  had  that  day  to  bring  in  a  special 
report,  he  left  his  document  with  the  chairman,  and 
immediately  took  the  steamer  home.     Had  he  de- 
layed he  would  never  again  have  seen  his   child 
alive— our  little  voyager,  who  five  years  before  had 
come   into  the  world  upon  the  high  seas,  ofE  "  the 

formidable  Horn." 

Nothing  can  require  less  intelligence  than  to  sneer 
at  phenomena,  which  are  not  of  rare  occurrence  in 
the  experience  of  the  man  of  prayer,  and  nothing 
can   betray  a  more  uncandid  stolidity,  or  a  more 
grossly  unscientific  blinking  of  well-authenticated 
data,  than  to  summarily  discredit  them.     If  science 
cannot  explain  these  occurrences,  let  it  honestly  ad- 
mit that  there  are  undeniable  facts  which  lie  beyond 
its  sphere.    Why  should  it  be  thought  a  thing  in- 
credible that  men  who  live  in  the  constant  and  in- 
tense realization  of  the  invisible  world,  should  have 
experiences  which  never  occur  to  men  whose  tastes 
and-  talents,  explorations  and  acquisitions,  are  in 
quite    another    direction?      And    the    spiritually- 
minded  man  of  business  is  at  least  as  likely  to  come 
upon  such  wonders  as  the  caverned  hermit.     The 
Father  of  the  Faithful  was  a  grazier  when  God 


said,  "  Shall  I  hide  from  Abraham  the  thing  which 
I  do  ? "  And  it  was  the  ploughman  Elisha  who  said 
with  wonder  of  an  afflicted  friend,  "  Her  soul  is 
vexed  within  her :  and  the  Lord  hath  hid  it  from 
me,  and  hath  not  told  me."  Mr.  Powell  wa^  no 
enthusiast.  His  was  a  manly  faith.  His  piety  was 
as  sensible  and  practical  as  it  was  profound  and  all- 

peiTading. 

No    fewer  than  eight  deaths   occurred  in  one 
branch  or  other  of  Mr.  Powell's  family  during  this 
one   year.     He  attributed  to  the  admonitions  and 
consolations  of  the  Holy  Spirit  accompanying  this 
terrible  but  timely  discipline  his  preservation  from 
the  intoxicating  effects  of  sudden  and  rapid  prosper- 
ity.    The  severe  but  gracious  husbandry  of  Provi- 
dence  prevented   thorns   from   springing    up    and 
choking  the  good  seed.     Meanwhile  he  in  no  wise 
relaxed  his  assiduous  attention  to  business,  perceiv- 
ing that  he  worked  beneath  "  the  golden  weather  " 
of  a  brief  and  precarious  harvest-time.     He  made 
judicious  investments  of  his  rapidly-increasing  prop- 
erty, purchasing  land,  building  stores  in  new  neigh- 
borhoods, and  extending  his  business  connections. 
His  habits  of  systematic  beneficence  and  spontane- 
ous generosity  were  strengthened,  not  impaired,  by 
the  sudden  influx  of  success.     His  liberality  never 
lagged  behind  his  pecuniary  prosperity. 

The  following  letter  shows  in  what  spirit  he  re- 
ceived the  loss  of  his  first-born  son. 

*'Melbouiixe  South,  Sunday  afternoon. 

"Rev.  and  dear  Sir, 

"  That  which  I  so  greatly  feared  has  come  upon 


^T^,..-^l 


110 


LIFE  OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


Ill 


me  :  my  cup  of  bitterness  is  almost  full ;  my  darling 
boy  has  just  departed,  and  with  him  our  brightest 
hopes  on  earth.  I  left  him  in  health,  and  returned 
from  Geelong  to  find  Jiim  on  the  bed  of  death. 
May  the  Lord  help  us,  for  we  have  great  need  of 
Him! 

"  I  have  been  pleading  with  God  day  and  night 
to  save  him,  but  He  saw  good  to  take  him.  We 
have  strong  consolation  in  the  certainty  that  he  has 
entered  into  the  joy  of  his  Lord;  and  the  terrible 
stroke  says,  *  Be  ye  also  ready.' 

"  Such  has  been  the  nature  of  the  disease,  that 
we  dare  not  keep  him  longer  than  a  day,  and  we 
have  again  to  solicit  your  attendance  at  the  ceme- 
tery at  half-past  four  to-morrow.  May  I  trespass 
upon  your  kindness  to  choose  me  in  the  new  ground 
one  of  the  most  lovely  spots  for  my  dear  son,  and 
may  I  request  that  sufficient  ground  may  be  marked 
out  for  a  family  vault?  There  is  no  one  beside 
yourself  whom  we  should  like  to  bury  our  child. 
You  have  married  us,  baptized  our  child,  and  buried 
our  two  sons. 

"  Your  greatly  afflicted  brother, 

"Walter  Powell." 

The  place  he  held  in  the  "heart's  just  estimation  " 
of  those  who  were  most  closely  connected  with  him 
in  business,  may  be  gathered  from  the  subjoined 
testimony  of  a  gentleman  wlio  was  first  his  assistant, 
then  manager  of  one  of  his  businesses  in  Victoria, 
and  at  last  his  partner.     He  states : 

"  My  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Powell  dates  from 


HE  SUCCEEDS  IN  BUSINESS. 


Ill 


*) 


I 

1 


1849.  At  that  time  I  was  a  lad,  *  a  stranger  in  a 
strange  land,'  having  come  to  Melbourne  to  begin 
life,  away  from  home  and  friends.  The  kindly  wel- 
come he  gave  me  to  his  house,  where  I  became  a 
frequent  visitor,  has  left  an  indelible  impression 
on  my  memory :  it  forms  one  of  the  greenest  spots 
in  my  past  life.  It  is  very  plain  to  me  that  the 
kindly  Christian  anxiety  on  behalf  of  a  young  man 
entering  life  prompted  his  hospitality.  I  soon  left 
Melbourne,  and  obtained  a  situation  in  Hobart 
Town ;  but  the  gold  being  discovered  here,  I  has- 
tened back,  bent  on  going  to  the  diggings,  and  was 
only  prevented  by  the  wise  expostulations  of  Mr. 
Powell ;  and  my  idea  of  risking  my  health  in  this 
way  was  banished  by  his  offer  of  employment. 

"  Thus  my  business  connection  with  him  began  in 
what  we  look  back  upon  as  the  '  busy  times ; '  and 
I  can  picture  liim  as  he  was  then,  full  of  energy, 
doing  the  work  of  three  men,  now  serving  custom- 
ers, now  buying  gold,  then  snatching  a  few  minutes 
to  write  letters,  working  hard  early  and  late  to  keep 
his  business  under  control ;  and,  in  the  midst  of  all 
this  activity,  never  forgetting  the  class-meeting  or 
the  Sabbath-school,  and  loving  the  public  woi-ship 
of  the  Lord's  day.  The  trying  ordeal  he  thus  passed 
tln-ough,  left  his  Christian  character  unchanged- 
He  was  the  same  genial  friend  when  prosperous  and 
immersed  in  business  affairs,  as  when  struggling  and 
comparatively  low.  The  crowd  of  occupation  did 
not  cause  him  to  forget  the  intimacies  of  less  stir- 
ring times.  He  loved  old  friends,  and  was  gra- 
ciously preserved  from  f orgetf ulness  of  the  '  Friend 


112 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


r     J 


II 


that  Bticketh  closer  than  a  brother.'  As  his  busi- 
ness prospered,  he  promptly  recognized  the  claims 
of  benevolence,  and  lent  a  ready  hand  to  the  va- 
rious schemes  then  laid  to  meet  the  exigencies  of  the 
time." 

The  Eev.  J.  C.  Symons,  then  one  of  the  Wes- 
leyan  ministers  in  Melbourne,  thus  records  his  rec- 
ollections :  "  Those  who  were  in  the  colony  at  that 
time  do  not  need  any  description  of  the  marvellous 
change  in  Melbourne ;  those  who  have  come  since 
could  not  understand  any  description  which  might 
be  given.  Business  at  that  time  made  terrible  de- 
mands upon  the  energies.  The  rush  of  people  was 
so  sudden,  its  extent  so  unprecedented,  and  the 
wdiole  of  the  circumstances  so  novel,  that  men  in 
business  were  sorely  taxed.  Besides,  the  means 
and  appliances  for  doing  so  suddenly  extended  a 
trade  were  not  at  hand.  Mr.  Powell  felt  this,  and 
was  fully  aware  of  the  spiritual  peril  to  which  he 
was  exposed ;  but  he  sought  strength  from  on  high, 
and  was  preserved  from  that  worldliness  and  greed  of 
gain  into  which  so  many  fell.  Often  did  he  remark 
to  me,  *  I  am  in  this  position,  I  must  work  as  I  do, 
or  close  np  my  business :  there  is  no  middle  course. 
I  would  have  more  help  if  it  were  possible ;  but 
with  such  a  press  of  business,  and  the  small  space 
in  which  to  do  it,  additional  hands  would  be  only  in 
the  way,  would,  in  fact,  be  liindrances  rather  than 
helps.'  lie  was  unable  at  this  period  to  give  all  the 
personal  service  in  the  Church  which  he  desired. 
*I  can't  give  you  much  time,'  he  would  say  to  me; 
*  that  is  impossible ;  but  if  you  will  undertake  the 


HE   SUCCEEDS   IN   BUSINESS. 


113 


J 


work,  I  will  help  you  with  money.'  And  well  he 
fulfilled  his  promise,  not  only  in  the  liberal  contri- 
butions which  he  gave  towards  the  erection  of 
places  of  worship,  and  the  various  enterprises  of  the 
Church,  but  also  in  the  large  responsibilities  which 
he,  with  other  excellent  men  of  that  time,  readily 
undertook,  and  without  which  the  Methodist  Church 
of  Victoria  could  never  have  been  in  the  position 
she  is  in  to-day.  He  found  time,  however,  even 
when  thus  pressed,  to  attend,  and  take  part,  in 
many  public  meetings,  and  thus  to  aid  with  his 
presence,  as  well  as  with  his  purse." 

The  Rev.  W.  Butters  writes:  "In  1851,  when 
gold  was  discovered  in  Victoria,  Mr.  Powell  was 
one  among  our  most  active  office-bearers,  and  not- 
withstanding the  urgent  claims  of  business,  he  was 
but  seldom  absent  from  his  post.  No  description 
that  I  could  give  would  convey  anything  like  an  ac- 
curate and  adequate  idea  of  that  state  of  confusion 
into  which  everything  was  then  thrown,  and  of  our 
utter  inability  to  guess  what  would  be  on  the  mor- 
row, or  what  new  action  sudden  emergencies  might 
require." 

All  this  happened  when  business  was  yet  new  to 
him.  The  strain  and  pressure,  both  mental  and 
physical,  were  excessive  and  unintermitted.  One 
would  not  have  been  surprised  if,  in  such  circum- 
stances, his  spiritual  life  had  scarcely  found  room 
to  grow.  But  the  good  seed  had  fallen  into  good 
ground,  well  pulverized  by  deep  conviction  of  sin, 
and  softened  by  the  warm  showers  of  genuine  re- 
pentance.   His  strenuous  effort  was  to  keep  the 


liyiw.|.u,i  n'g^ 


114: 


LIFE   OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


passing  world  and  the  eternal  world  in  their  jnst 
relati\^  positions.     His  guiding  principle  was  still 
to  "  ^eok  first  the  kingdom  of  God."     And  this  was, 
after  all,  his  highest  and  happiest  success.     This 
swift  deluge   of   care,  perplexity,  and   prosperity, 
utterly  unforeseen,  did  not  carry  him  off  his  feet. 
He  still   daily  exercised    himself  unto  godliness. 
This  sudden  summer  of  prosperity,  after  the  long 
winter  of  anxiety,  did  not  blight  his  kindly,  gener- 
ous sensibilities,  but  made  them  "blossom  as  the 
rose."     He  recognized  the  orphans,  the  widows,  and 
the  unfortunate,  as  the  proper  wards  of  the  success- 
ful.    He  did  not  deem  it  an  unreasonable  expecta- 
tion in  his  less  prosperous  relatives  and  friends,  that 
they  should  be  substantially  the  better  for  his  rapid 
rise  in  wealth  and  in  position.    He  learnt  "  fii-st  to 
show  piety  at  home."     In  like  manner  the  deep  in- 
terest  in  the  cause  of  God,  which  he  had  manifested 
in  his  straits,  flourished  vigorously  in  his  successes. 
At  the  very  last  Quarterly  Meeting  of  the  Mel- 
bourne Circuit,  before  the  news  of  the  gold-fields 
broke  upon  the  town,  whilst  from  sensitive  dread  of 
debt  he  was  scarcely   allowing  himself  sufficient 
nourishment,  he  was  one  of  twelve  individuals  who 
guaranteed  $30  a-piece,  towards  the  outfit  and  pas- 
sage-money of  two  additional  missionaries.     Whilst 
the  thirst  for  gold  raged  like  an  epidemic,  and  the 
wild  hope  of  making  a  fortune  in  a  few  weeks  was 
absorbing  all  the  energies  of  the  majority,  leaving 
little  room  for  a  regard  to  public  or  eternal  inter- 
ests, half-emptying  the  places  of  worship,  reducing 
the  class-meetings  to  skeletons,  and  sweeping  away 


HE  SUCCEEDS   IN   BUSINESS. 


115 


1 


\ 


"the  greater  number  of  the  class-leaders  and  lo- 
cal preachers"  to  the  huge  scramble  for  the  pre- 
cious metal,  and  thus  deranging  all  the  evangehstic 
and  educational  machinery  of  the  Church,  Walter 
Powell  kept  faithfully  to  his  post. 

In  1855  Mr.  Powell  removed  to  Prahran,  a  rural 
suburb  of  Melbourne  ;  for  the  Victorian  merchants, 
like  the  British  and  American,  have  adopted  the 
healthy  custom  of  living  out  of  town.  This  change 
was  made  in  the  hope  of  improving  his  own  health 
and  that  of  Mrs.  Powell.  We  again  quote  Mr.  Sy- 
mons :  "  There,  as  leading  the  service  of  song,  as  a 
worker  in  the  Sabbath-school,  and  as  a  class-leader, 
he  did  good  service ;  service  which  is  most  gratefully 
remembered.  It  was  very  touching,  on  the  Sabbath 
immediately  following  the  intelligence  of  his  death, 
at  a  love-feast  held  in  the  new  church  at  Prahran,  to 
hear  one  after  another  referring  to  him,  testifj^ing 
to  the  kindness  and  wisdom  of  his  counsels  on  their 
first  arrival  in  the  colony,  or  to  his  having  spoken 
to  them  and  invited  them  to  join  the  Church,  or  to 
the  piety  of  his  daily  life.  Such  tributes  are  worth 
more  than  storied  marble  or  than  sculptured  urn." 

The  following  extracts  from  a  letter  to  the  Pev. 
W.  Butters  may  not  unfittingly  close  this  chapter : 

*'  Melbourne,  Jvly  17, 1855. 

"My  dear  Mr.  Butters: 

"  The  letters  of  Mrs.  Butters  and  yourself  reached 
us  safely.  I  postponed  a  reply  until  business  should 
permit  me  to  make  one  comfortably ;  not  that  it 
is  a  task  to  write  to  an  old  and  dear  friend,  but  I 


116 


UFE   OF   WALTER  roWELL. 


like,  when  writing  to  one  who  has  a  place  in  onr 
™^'  t''  Siyo  something  more  than  a  few  hasty 

"  In  the  Methodist  world  little  has  been  done  of 
late.  We  have  been  wise  enough  to  lie  on  our  oai-s 
during  the  settling  of  the  surging  tide.  I  think 
now  however,  commercially  speaking,  the  efflux  has 
nearly  ceased ;  after  which  the  reflux  will  commence. 
We  seem  at  present  to  be  just  at  that  point  where 
the  waters  do  '  neither  one  nor  t'other.' 

"Methodists,  you  know,  are  no  idle  spectators  of 
8uch  matters.  I  must  no  longer  make  you  to  doubt 
by  dealmg  m  parables,  but  come  to  plain  matter-of- 
fact  detail.  Stranded,  then,  lie  first  and  foremost 
tlie  Oollins  Street  chapel  and  sdiool-room.  Fortu- 
nately, however,  this  is  the  only  great  difficulty  M-e 
have,  nearly  all  the  other  chapel  debts  behig  owed 
by  Methodists  to  Methodists. 

"  Mr.  Bickford  continues  to  work  quietly,  but  use- 
fully and  earnestly,  at  Brighton  ;  and,  being  '  a  <rood 
man  and  full  of  faith  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,'  will 
undoubtedly  be  successful 

"  At  Collingwood  a  school-house  is  in  course  of 
erection,  the  foundation  having  been  laid  in  conse- 
quence of  some  frail  promises  of  help  from  the 
school  board,  which,  having  no  money,  cannot  give 
any  ;  wherefoi*  the  Collingwoodites  have  shrewdly 
determined  to  depend  on  themselves. 

"  I  think  our  Church  will,  on  the  whole,  be  much 
improved  and  strengtlieued,  both  in  numbers  and 
Bpmtuality,  through  the  late  trying  scenes.  It  is 
time  that  pure  religion  and  undefiled  should  bemn 


HE   SUCCEEDS   IN   BUSINESS. 


117 


to  make  its  way ;  and  unless  the  Methodists  lead, 
who  will?  As  it  is,  the  Papists,  by  their  unremit- 
ting watchfulness,  are  fast  taking  up  every  post 
where  their  influence  will  be  felt.  I  hope  soon  to 
break  off  many  fetters  thrown  around  me  by  the 
events  of  1854,  and  again  take  an  active  part  in  the 

great  work. 

"  Yours  affectionately, 

"Walter  Powell." 


v 


I 


i 


CHAPTER  X. 

LOVE     TO     GOD      MANIFESTING      ITSELF    m     CHRISTIAN 

CHARITY. 

It  is  the  reproach  of  our  age  that  among  our 
active  business  men,  the  rush,  hurry,  and  pressure 
of  commercial  life  leaves  no  leisure  for  tlie  contem- 
plation of  great  truths  and  great  principles;  and 
that  in  consequence  the  meditative  spirit  is  dying 
out ;  the  reverential  and  thoughtful  elements  of  our 
nature  have,  it  is  said,  no  opportunity  of  develop- 
ment, except  in  those  retired  by-places  where  they 
can  exert  no  influence  on  the  world  of  living  active 
men. 

Yet  here  was  a  man  who,  in  the  words  of  one 
who  knew  him  most  thoroughly,  was  for  years  so 
energetic  in  business  tliat  he  constantly  did  the  work 
of  tliree  men ;  who  kept  up  to  tlie  demands  of  a 
rapidly  growing  and  most  variable  market,  under 
tlie  most  difficult  circumstances ;  who  endured 
great  and  deep  afflictions,  the  loss  of  children  and 
of  near  and  dear  relatives,  sickness  and  sorrow  upon 
sorrow;  a  man  on  whose  shoulders  lay  heavy  bur- 
dens in  the  secular  affairs  of  a  Church  which  was 
trying  to  expand  itself  to  supply  the  spiritual  needs 
of  a  rapidly  increasing  population;  a  man  whose 
counsel  and  judgment  were  invaluable  in  matters  of 


-v„ 


LOVE   TO   GOD   IN   CHRISTIAN   CHARITY. 


119 


Church  and  state  ;  and  yet  with  all  his  cares,  labors, 
burdens,  and  anxieties,  he  managed  to  find  time  for 
self-examination,  for  careful  introspection,  for  the 
study  of  God's  Word,  and  for  that  calm  contempla- 
tion of  the  present  and  the  future,  which,  amid  the 
turmoil  and  confusion,  the  mad  strife  and  roar  of 
the  waves  of  an  excitement  such  as  the  world  has 
seldom  seen,  kept  him  anchored  safely  and  firmly 
"  to  that  within  the  veil."  How  did  he  manage  to 
combine  these  diverse,  and  as  some  would  think,  in- 
compatible qualities,  the  highest  activity,  and  the 
most  profoundly  contemplative  spirit  ?  Let  the 
apostle  answer  for  us :  "  he  endured,  as  seeing  Him 
who  is  invisible."  In  youth,  in  the  time  of  poverty 
and  illness,  he  had  formed  this  habit  of  communion 
with  God  and  his  own  soul,  until  it  had  grown  to  be 
his  life,  and  now,  in  the  time  when  he  most  needed 
it,  this  habit  steadied  him,  and  kept  him  above  all 
earthly  excitements  and  agitations,  where  his  soul 
at  every,  even  momentary,  pause  in  business,  flew 
upward,  like  the  captive  bird  let  loose  from  its 
cage,  and  sought  its  supremest  joy  in  communion 
with  God.  If  we  sought  for  evidence  of  the  rare 
abilities  with  which  God  had  endowed  his  servant, 
where  could  we  find  those  which  would  be  so  con- 
clusive as  this  faculty  of  living  in  and  yet  above  the 
world?  of  enjoying  the  full  sunlight  of  heaven, 
while  down  in  the  murky  depths  of  an  all-engrossing 
commercial  life?  With  God,  be  it  remembered, 
the  humble,  lowly,  contemplative  spirit  which  de- 
lights in  His  Word  and  His  works,  is  far  more 
highly  esteemed  than  the  most  brilliant  intellect, 


120 


LIFE  OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


<    • 


?  I 


which  in  its  proud  self-reliance  forgets  the  Creator 
■who  endowed  it  with  such  rich  gifts. 

No  sooner  did  Mr.  Powell  find  himself  m  posses- 
sion of  a  moderate  degree  of  ready  money  and  of 
attainable  leisure,   than  he    began    forthwith    to 
secure  that  money  and  that  le  sure  for  the  noble 
conceivable   ol)jccts.    He    did  not  ^ay,  "  I    BhaU 
wait  till  I  am  worth  so  much  money,  and  can  re- 
tire from  business  altogether,  and  then  the  Church 
hall  ...  n.y  .eal  for  tUe  Lord  of  KostsT    De  ec^ 
ing  the  excursive  tendencies  of  hoarded  or  even 
well-invested  riches,  he  kept  their  wings  well  dip- 
ped- and  seeing  that  leisure  without  some  passion- 
'aL  pursuit  is  dull  torture  and  --dio-  temp^ion 
he  resolved,  more  likely  he  intuitively  fel,  tha   he 
1st  cultiv'ate  an  interest  in  7;— J^^^^^ 
•  whilst  they  benefited  othere,  won  d  bring  into  his 
Twn  breast  a  rich  return  of  God-like  Batisfaction. 

The  Eev.  Mr.  Butters  has  kindly  furnished  the 
subjoined  list  of  the  principal  --— .^  J^ 
Mr.  Powell  took  a  principal  part  at  this  critical 
Deriod  of  the  religious  history  of  Y  ictoria : 
^  « 1  Our  Sunday-schools,  which  he  was  very 
ready  to  help  both  by  personal  service  and  by  las 

^TJ  Increased  ministerial  strength .  to  overtake 
thP  ramdlv  growing  wants  of  the  community.         _ 
«;  TheitabliSiment  of  the  Wesleyan  Immi- 

^TfSonal  Church  accommodation  for  the 
thousands  who  were  constantly  pom-ing  into  the 
colony. 


LOVE  TO   GOD   IN   CTEISTIAN   CHARITY.  121 

«  5.  Ministerial  and  Church  provision  for  the  gold- 
fields  which  threatened,  unless  immediate  and 
effective  measures  were  taken,  to  deluge  the  colony 

with  vice  and  crime. 

« 6  The  formation  of  the  Australian  AVesleyan 
Mission  Churches  into  a  distinct  and  independent 
communion,  witli  a  Conference  of  its  own. 

"  7.  The  estahlishment  of  a  Book  Depot  m  Mel- 
bourne, r.  ,TT     1        /-IT 

"  8.  The  erection  and  furnishing  of  W  esley  Col- 
lege." 

To  all  these  objects  he  devoted  earnest  attention, 
and  made  large  contributions.     A  just  estimate  will 
not  be  formed  of  the  generosity,  the  public  spirit 
the  quickness,  keenness,  and  breadth  of  view,  and 
the  prompt  recognition  of  responsibility  displayed 
by  Mr.  Powell,  amidst  a  state  of  things  as  unprece- 
dented as  it  was  unforeseen,  unless  we  bear  in  mind 
the  fact  that  these  were  the  contributions,  the  plans, 
and  the  toils,  of  a  hard-driven  young  man,  who 
gave  as  fast  as  he  got,  and  under  the  pressure  of 
private  anxieties  lavished  time,  thought,  and  strength, 
as  well  as  hard-earned  money,  upon  the  public  ser- 
vice. 

Of  his  Sunday-school  labors  we  need  not  say 
more ;  and  the  urgent  necessity  of  increased  minis- 
terial strength,  in  a  city  which  sometimes  witnessed 
a  thousand  new  arrivals  in  a  day,  is  too  obvious  to 
require  comment.  Of  the  other  movements,  it  may 
be  well  to  make  a  brief  recoi'd. 

1.  The  establishment  of  the    Wesleyan   Immi- 
grants' Ilome.    When  tens  of  thousands  a  month 

6 


122 


UFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


were  streaming  into  the  then  compai^tively  Bmall 
and  ill-appointed   town,  nearly  the  whole  even  of 
the  most  respectable  immigrants,  however  able  and 
willin-  to  pay  for  decent  accommodation    could 
only  find  nightly  shelter  amidst  physical  and  moral 
disorder  and  pollution  which  alike  forbid  and  defy 
description.    Individuals  of  the  best  character  and 
of  ample  means  were  obliged  to  walk  the  streets  of 
the  city  whole  nightB,  not  being  able  to  '  obt^^;^^^' 
commodation  of  any  kind,  on  any  terms       School- 
rooms, vestries,  even  churches,  were  devoted  to  the 
charitable  object  of  providing  a  p  ace  where  bewil- 
dered strangers  might  lay  their  heads,  who  other, 
wise  must  have  passed  the  night  m  the  streets 
During  this  state  of  things,  July,  1852,  a  society 
SSng  was  called  by  the  Rev.  W.  Butters,  then 
Superintendent  of  the  Circuit,  "  to  dev.se  mean 
for  obtaining  additional  ministers."     Mr   PoweU 
rose  to  speak  under  strong  emotion,  which  he  was 
for  some  time  unable  to  repress.    He  stated  that  on 
that  day,  in  passing  along  the  street,  he  had  observ- 
ed  a  woman  weeping,  and  apparent  y  m  deep  dis- 
tress.     On  inquiring  the  cause  he  learnt  that    he 
was  a  member  of  the  Wesleyan  Church,  who  had 
landed  on  the  preceding  day,  having  come  from 
Tasmania  to  join  her  husband  at  the  Ballaarat  gold- 
diggings.    She  had  been  unable  to  obtam  sleeping 
pufe  or  shelter,  every  available  spot  being  crowded 
and  had  been  compelled  to  pass  the  night  on  the 
wharf  with  no  other  protection  than  that  afforded 
by  a  cask.     ^'  He  concluded  his  little  narrative  by 
asking,  ^Why  not  have  an  Immigrants   Home  of 


LOVE  TO  GOD  IN  CHEISTIAN  CHARITY.  123 

our  own  ? '    *  Why  not  ? '  was  re-echoed  from  various 
parts  of  the  chapel.     '  I  will  give  $250  towards  it,' 
said  the  proposer.     '  I  will  give  $250,'  said  another. 
<  I  will  help,'  said  a  third.    '  I  will  give  all  the 
ready  money  I  have,'  said  a  fourth."     The  scheme 
thus  incidentally  started  was  promptly  and  vigor- 
ously carried  out.    A  successful  application  was 
immediately  made  to  the  Government  for  the  grant 
of  a  suitable  piece  of  land ;  upwards  of   $3,500 
were  subscribed  at  a  public  meeting  called  for  the 
furtherance  of  the  object ;  and  "  in  less  than  ten 
days "  from  the  fii-st  suggestion  of  the  movement, 
the  arrangements  for  commencing  the  erection  were 
complete.     The  site  granted  by   His   Excellency, 
C.  J.  Latrobe,  Esq.,  was  an  eminence  commanding 
a  beautiful  view,  with  an  open  square  in  front,  and 
a  reserve  for  public  gardens  at  the  rear.     The  word 
"  HOME,"  in  large  capitals,  greeted  the  wistful 
eye  of  the  immigrant,  when  he  first  felt  the  heart 
of  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land.     The  object  was 
not  only  to  give  a  few  nights'  shelter  away  from 
the  squalid  discomfort  and  the  moral  and  physical 
contaminations  of  the  lairs  called  lodging-houses, 
but  also  "to  save  from  utter  apostasy  those  who 
might  have  suffered  spiritual  loss "  during  a  long 
voyage,   amidst   a  promiscuous    and   unimproving 
companionship,  and  to  remind  them,  in  the  most 
kindly  and  telling  manner,  that  their  abandonment 
of  country  and  kindred,  in  hope  of  finding  a  short 
cut  to  wealth  and  ease,  did  not  lessen  the  importance 
and  urgency  of  their  eternal  interests,  or  divest 
them  of  their  Christian  responsibilities.    The  effort 


124 


j.nrR  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


i' 


^as  to  assimilate  all  the  internal  arrangemen  s  and 
u..<^es,  aB  much  as  possible,  to  those  of  a  happy 
Christian  family.    The  immigrants  were  at  once  m^ 
troduced  into  a  hearty,  loving,  Chnst.an  society  and 
found  themselves  breathing  a  pure  bnght,  kindlj , 
bracing,  spiritual  atmosphere.    Family  worship  was 
Llemid^ed  morning  and  evening  in  the  large  r<x,m 
where  worship  of  the  dear  old  home  kind  was  held 
every  Sabbath,  and  at  least  on  one  other  evening  in 
the  week.    Prayer-meetings  and  experiencc-meet- 
S!!s  were  also  conducted,  and  most  of  the  appliances 
of  Methodism,  for  reviving  and  ^t-'-^S/ 'f  ^"'^ 
ual  life,  and  for  making  the  members  of  Us  chnnito 
conscious  of  their  common  life,  were  in  full  opera- 
tion    The  building  comprised  one  dining-room,  ac- 
Smmodating  two  hundred  persons,  a  sleeping-room 
for  one  hundred,  one  hospital  for  males,  another  fo 
females,  a  library,  and  reading-room   and  private 
apartments  for  the  governor  and  "^'^fon      It  bad 
also  a  large  store  for  immigrants'  luggage,  a  kitchen, 
a  servanrs'  room,  a  wash-house,  a  bake-house,  and  a 
a  a  Ly.    Thea^ountof bodily,mental  and  spu-i^a 
refreshment,  solace  and  protection,  which  was  thus 
itlTto  Ihousands  deprived  of  f  «- — 
supports  and  restraints,  and  many  of  them  re-ec.o- 
Z  the  Prophet's  cry,  "Weep  not  for  the  dead,  bat 
"fep  -re  for  him  that  goeth  away,^.^"^  be  ^^  l^ 
niatid.    Perhaps  the  true  scriptural  idea  o    lu^pi- 
tality-^...,  friendliness  to   stranff^^^-^^  >  -  - 
xnore  effectively  carried  out  on  such  a  ^^^Ic.    "t  « 
was  a  home  for  the  homeless,  a  welcome  to  the  waii- 
Ter,  rit  by  the  fireside,  and  an  affectionate  ad- 


i 


LOVE  TO  GOD  IN  CHRISTIAN  CHARITY.  125 

mission  to  the  family  circle  for  those  who  were  cut 
off  from  kindred  and  from  fatherland.     Here  was 
a  sweet  smile  for  the  weather-beaten  face,  a  warm 
clasp  for  the  purseless  hand,  a  gentle  tone  for  the 
heart  that  yearned  for  loved  voices  far  away,  a 
home  Church,  a  family  altar,  a  clean  bed,  a  soft 
pillow  for  the  weary  head,  and  an  exceeding  precious 
promise  for  the  weary  heart.     Perhaps  the  vener- 
able and  almost  obsolete  virtue  of  hospitality — not 
friendliness  to  friends,  but  friendliness  to  strangers 
— which  the  patriarchal  religion  bequeaths  to  the 
elevated  ethics  of  the  Gospel,  and  which  the  simple 
manners  of  classical  antiquity  commend  to  our  ad- 
vanced Christian  civilization,  never  received  a  more 
congenial  entertainment.    How  much  more  deserv- 
ing is  this  of  the  name  of  that  antique   duty  of 
hospitality  which  Christianity  has  enrolled  amongst 
its  heavenly  train  of  graces,  than  the  luxurious  com- 
panionship around  the  festive  board,  the  round  of 
parties  by  which  familiar  acquaintanceship   is  ce- 
mented or  commenced,  that  now  usurp  the  name ! 

Whilst  the  primary  object  of  the  Wesleyan  Im- 
migrants' Home  was  to  make  provision  for  the 
members  of  the  Wesleyan  Church,  it  was  part  of 
the  originators'  plan  to  extend  the  advantage  of  the 
institution  without  restriction  to  members  of  other 
Churches.  These  principles,  prominently  set  forth 
at  the  commencement,  have  been  strictly  acted  upon, 
as  will  be  manifest  from  the  following  facts.  Dur- 
ing the  first  fifteen  months  of  its  existence,  the  num- 
ber of  persons  accommodated  in  the  Home  was  two 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy-three.    Fancy 


t' , 


126  I'l^^   ^^   WALTER  POWELL. 

what  an  aggregate  of  misery  and  temptation  pre- 
Tnted  of  immediate  comfort  and  permanent  bene- 
fittecui^dl  The  proportions  in  which  the  vanous 
denotations  of  Christendom  contributed  rec.p.ents 
were  as  follows : 

^    ,  1,335 

Wesleyans g^^ 

Episcopalians ^^ 

Independents ^^^ 

I^aptists 229 

Presbyterians ^^ 

Lutherans qq 

Eoman  Catliolics ^ 

Friends *  *,'  *  V      ka 

Primitives,  and  other  Methodist  offshoots     60 

Moravians - 

Add  to  these  Jews '^ 

2,773 

In  connection  with  the  Home  was  a  register 
office,  for  supplying  in* ormation  to  parties  on  th^ir 
arrival.    The  cost  of  the  bmldmg  was  $17,500.  Mr. 
?Lell  subsequently  contributed  largely  to  the  for- 
mation of  a  still moLexteneive  institution  sustamed 
by  the  general  public,  whose  tardier  philanthropy 
Ed  been  stimulated  by  the  example  of  the  Wesley- 
ans     This  was  called  the  Immigrants'  Aid  Socie  y. 
Jutill  exists,  affording  effective  help  to  numbers  who 

have  fallen  ^^'^  ^^''^^-    ^*  ^'  "^f "^      <■      . 
L;  society,  Mr.  Powell  was  one  of  tiie  most  a«Uve 

administrators. 


LOVE  TO   GOD   IN   CHRISTIAN   CHARITY.  127 

2.  Additional  Church  accommodation,  to  meet  the 
wants  of  the  thousands  who  were  pouring  into  the 
colony.     Even  before  the  rush  into  Victoria  com- 
menced, the  Church  accommodation  was  deplorably 
inadequate  to  the  demands  of  the  steadily  growing 
population.     The  gold  discoveries,  which  created  the 
necessity  for  enormous  Church  extension,  cast  up 
the  most  formidable  obst^icles  to  the  accomplishment 
of  the  very  modest  and  cautious  plans  which  had 
been  already  initiated.     The  price  of   labor  and 
building  materials  rose  hi  proportion  to  the  demand 
for  both.     True,  wealth  increased,  but  a  very  small 
proportion  of  that  wealth  came  into  the  hands  of 
those  who  were  laying  to  heart  the  spiritual  necessi- 
ties of  the  times.     The  chronic  worldliness  of  the 
community  had,  by  this  sudden  stimulus,  been  aggra- 
vated into  delirium.     As  the  love  of  money  raged, 
the  love  of  souls  waxed  cold  in  many  hearts.     For  a 
while  the  decrease  of  religious  earnestness  in  the 
Church  was  in  proportion  to  the  increase  of  intem- 
perance, debauchery,  and  the  frantic  lust  of  gold. 
Only  a  few  found  time  or  heart  to  reflect  that  this 
was  the  crisis  in  the  religious  history  of  the  colony. 
A  severer  testing-time  to  character  can  scarcely  be 
conceived.     It  could  not  but  become  apparent  then 
who  really  cared  for  the  cause  of  God.     The  popu- 
lation of  Melbourne  had  quadrupled  in  six  months. 
It  had  already  eighty  thousand  inhabitants,  eight 
thousand  of  whom,  unable  to  procure  houses,  were 
dwelling  in  tents.    Every  new  cargo  of  colonists 
seemed  to  accelerate  the  progress  of  demoralization. 
In  one  twelvemonth  hamlets  had  become  towns, 


128 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


and  towns  had  swelled  into  vast  commercial  centres. 
New  townsliips  were  springing  up  on  every  side. 
Soffala,  "the  canvas  city,"  Ballaarat,  with  sixty 
thousand  souls,  Mount  Alexander,  Bendigo,  etc.,  had 
started  into  existence.  There  was,  besides,  a  vast 
moving  multitude,  who  followed  the  rumor  of  some 
new  gold-find.  The  comparatively  few  earnest, 
thoughtful  Christians  felt  that  the  spiritual  destinies 
of  the  colony  were,  to  a  very  great  extent,  in  their 
hands.  And  right  nobly  were  they  enabled  to  do 
their  duty.  At  such  a  time  not  only  money,  but 
judgment  was  required,  and,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
both  were  forthcoming  in  a  very  remarkable  mea- 
sure. By  nnivei-sal  and  grateful  admission,  one  of 
the  largest  contributors  of  both  requisites  was  Mr. 
Powell.  A  gentleman  of  Melbourne  writes:  "To 
my  knowledge,  nearly  every  church,  of  every  denom- 
ination, in  and  around  Melbourne,  secured  the  help 
of  his  pui-se.  One  transaction  incidentally  shows 
how  his  business  abilities,  as  well  as  his  business  pro- 
ceeds, were  placed  at  the  service  of  the  Church.  In 
consideration  of  the  extravagant  costliness,  not  only 
of  labor,  but  also  of  the  ordinary  building  materials, 
it  was  deemed  expedient  to  resort  to  iron.  Mr. 
Powell's  acquaintance  with  the  iron  trade  here  stood 
the  Church  in  good  stead.  A  large  shipment  of  gal- 
vanized and  corrugated  iron  was  obtained  from  Eng- 
land. On  its  receipt,  however,  the  state  of  things 
had  so  far  changed  that  it  was  not  thought  desirable 
to  use  the  metal  to  the  extent  formerly  contemplated. 
The  surplus  was  sold  at  a  profit  of  about  $4,000, 


LOVE   TO   GOD   IN   CHEISTIAN   CHARITY. 


129 


which  was  applied  opportunely  to  the  building  fund 
for  the  erection  of  town  and  suburban  chapels." 

3.  Ministerial  and   Church  provision  for  the 
gold-fieUs.     In   1852,  at   Mount  Alexander  alone, 
eighty  miles  from  Melbourne,  there  were  between 
twenty   and   thirty  thousand   persons   digging  for 
gold,  among  whom  were  hundreds  of  members  of 
the  Wesleyan  Methodist  societies,  without  a  single 
Wesleyan  minister.     At  Bendigo,  the  "  rushes,"  the 
violent  alternations  of  immigration  and  exodus,  ac- 
cumulation and  dispersion,  changed  the  statistics  of 
population  by  twenty  thousand  in  a  month.     The 
temptations  to  intemperance  were  tenfold  greater 
than    in    England.     Profiigacy,   and    adventurous 
marriage  after  a  few  days'  acquaintance,  w^ere  gen- 
erating all  manner  of  social  mischiefs.     Hundreds 
proved  to  what  a  sad  extent  their  religion  and  mo- 
rality had  depended  on  their  surroundings.     Both 
the  one  and  the  other,  built  upon  the  sand,  fell, 
when  home  restraints  and  home  supports  w^ere  left 
behind.     Besides  all  this,  great  numbers,  like  the 
young  heir  in  the  parable,  had  come  "into  a  far 
country,"  for  the  very  purpose  of  making  the  worst 
of  themselves,  without  interference  from  a  father's 
authority,  or  a  mother's  tears,  or  a  public  opinion 
leavened,  in  great   part   created,  by  long-working 
Christianity.     They  had  sought  the  antipodes,  eager 
both  to  make  money  and  to  spend  it.     These  new 
towns  became  ghastly  emporiums  of  sensuality  and 
sin.     The  diggings  became  conservatories  of  vice, 
huge  hotbeds,  where  moral  weeds  and  poisons  flour- 
ished   in    tropical    luxuriance.     Into  this   reeking 
6* 


I 


130 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


'    t 


P( 


itK  ' 


caldron  of  a  corrupted  Christian  civilization,  many 
thousands  of  Chinamen  brought  their  obscene 
heathen  habits.  Whence  could  there  come  a  louder 
call  for  a  strong  body  of  faithful  evangelists? 

4.  The  formation  of  the  Australian  Wesleyan 
Mission  Churches  into  a  distinct  and  independent 
communion^  with  a  Conference  of  its  own.     It  was 
never  the  design  of  British  Methodism  either  to 
endow  or  control  Australian  Methodism  in  perpe- 
tuity.    So  soon  as  they  found  themselves  in  a  fair 
way  to  provide  for  their  own  exigencies,  and  to 
manage  their  own  affairs,  the  Australian  Methodist 
Churches  ceased  to  be  dependencies,  and  became 
associated,  or,  as  the  more  endearing  and  descriptive 
phrase  is,  "  Affiliated  Conferences."     Indeed,  they 
were  allowed  autonomy  before  they  felt  themselves 
quite  ready  for  financial  independence.     The  axiom 
of  apostolic  Christianity  announced  by  St.  Paul  was 
thus  illustrated  by  the  maternal  instincts  of  Meth- 
odism.    "  The  children  ought  not  to  lay  up  for  the 
parents,  but  the  parents  for  the  children."    The 
desire  of  the  Australian  Methodists  to  sustain  the 
responsibilities  of  manhood  so  soon  as  they  were 
conscious  of  the  energies  of  manhood,  was  credit- 
able to  them;  whilst  the  readiness  of  the  British 
Conference  to  recognize  their  ability,  and  to  encour- 
age their  willingness,  evidenced  that  sagacity  which 
belongs  to  singleness  of  aim.    As  to  the  latter,  it 
showed  that  the  light  of  their  council-fire  did  not 
bum  dim.     A  huge  Bomanistic  centralization  is  as 
opposed  to  the  true  idea  of  a  Church  as  cerebral  con- 
gestion is  adverse  to  muscular  and  mental  efficiency. 


LOVE  TO  GOD   IN  CHBISTIAN   CHABITY.  131 

The  difference  between  economy  and  parsimony  or 
penuriousness  is  perhaps  nowhere  better  illustrated 
than  in  Methodist  missionary  administration.  The 
secret  of  its  unparalleled  extent  and  effectiveness,  as 
compared  with  its  resources,  must  not  be  sought  in 
niggardly  disbursement,  but  in  lessons  of  self-help 
to  its  robust  and  numerous  offspring.  Mr.  Powell's 
direct,  practical  intelligence,  his  manly  trust  in  God, 
and  his  enterprising  generosity,  led  him  to  enter 
heartily  into  this  project 

5.  The  establishment  of  a  Wesleyan  Booh  Depot 
in  Melbourne.  Of  this  the  B«v.  J.  C.  Symons  says : 
"  The  Wesleyan  Book  Depot,  if  it  does  not  owe  its 
existence  to  Mr.  Powell,  is  at  least  largely  indebted 
to  him  for  its  present  position.  In  order  to  secure 
for  it  the  premises  in  which  its  business  is  carried 
on,  he  gave  $2,500."  On  the  same  subject,  the 
Keport  of  the  Melbourne  District  Meeting,  1860, 
contains  the  following  record:  "Walter  Powell, 
Esq.,  having  presented  to  the  Book  Committee 
books  of  the  value  of  nearly  $750,  on  condition 
that  the  Wesleyans  of  Victoria  would  raise  a  simi- 
lar amount,  and  having  also  engaged  to  present  a 
still  further  supply  to  the  former  on  the  same  con- 
dition, the  very  cordial  thanks,"  etc. 

Mr.  Symons  adds,  "  Though  his  conditions  were 
not  complied  with,  he  gave  his  first  contribution  of 
books,  but  devoted  the  second  $750  to  the  purchase 
of  furniture  for  the  book-steward's  residence." 

6.  The  erection  and  furnishing  of  Wesley  Col- 
lege. On  this  point  Mr.  Symons  testifies :  "  To  no 
man  is  that  noble  institution,  Wesley  College,  so 


132 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


much  indebted  as  to  Mr.  Powell.  His  gifts  to  its 
building  fund  exceeded  $1,500,  but  he  gave  to  it 
what  money  could  not  purchase,  earnest  personal 
service."  From  the  fii-st  he  acted  as  secretary  to 
the  College  Committee. 

Surely  no  one  can  contemplate  without  dismay 
the  enormous  growth  of  merely  commercial  col- 
onies, on  which  but  few  and  feeble  influences,  in- 
tellectual, moral,  and  spiritual,  shall  be  brought  to 
bear.  A  monster  money-making  England  at  the 
antipodes,  minus  Englisli  culture.  Christianized 
public  opinion,  and  religious  services  and  agencies, 
would  be  a  chaos  and  a  curse.  But  it  required  men 
of  deep  minds  and  deep  characters,  like  Daniel 
Draper,  Walter  Powell,  and  others  who  survive 
them,  to  realize  the  immediate  exigency,  and  rouse 
themselves  and  the  public  to  meet  effectually  the 
higher  wants  of  the  rapidly  multiplying  community. 

The  object  of  Wesley  College  was  to  provide  a 
high-class  Christian  education  for  the  general  public 
of  Victoria,  and  for  the  Wesleyans  especially.  The 
scheme  was  launched  in  1853,  Mr.  Powell  being 
chosen  a  member  of  the  Committee  of  Manage- 
ment. Owing  to  the  fluctuating  condition  of  af- 
fairs, the  violent  oscillations  of  trade,  and  the  out- 
rageous price  of  labor  and  material,  but  slow 
progress  was  made  at  first.  In  the  following  year, 
the  sum  of  $100,000  was  voted  by  the  Government 
for  the  establishment  of  grammar  schools,  and 
allotted  to  the  various  religious  denominations  in 
proportion  to  their  numerical  strength  as  indicated 
by  the  census.     $13,847  fell   to  the  share  of  the 


LOVE   TO   GOD   IN   CHKISTIAN   CIIAErTY. 


133 


Wesleyans,  in  two  successive  grants.  Ten  acres 
and  a  half  of  land,  in  a  choice  situation,  were  sub- 
sequently obtained  from  the  Government,  and  a 
large  and  handsome,  and  every  way  suitable,  build- 
ing erected  and  furnished,  at  a  cost  of  eighty-five 
thousand  dollars.  We  shall  have  to  recur  to  the 
two  last-named  entei-prises  in  a  later  portion  of  our 
narrative. 

But  whilst  Mr.  Powell  was  so  intent  upon  the 
accomplishment  of  the-  mission  of  Methodism  in 
Australia  Felix  and  the  fulfilment  of  its  duty  to 
those  strange  and  stirring  times,  he  by  no  means 
confined  either  his  liberality  or  his  exertions  within 
the  boundary  of  that  large  and  expanding  commu- 
nity. We  have  seen  that  he  contributed  to  almost 
every  church  in  that  rapidly -growing  neighborhood, 
where  churches  were  springing  up  on  every  hand, 
and  that  he  was  a  munificent  supporter  and  an  ac- 
tive member  of  the  General  Emigrants'  Aid  Society. 
In  the  service  of  this  philanthropic  institution  and 
of  the  Benevolent  Asylum  he  labored  day  by  day. 
He  threw  himself  enthusiastically  into  all  philan- 
thropic plans,  and  all  movements  of  public  utility. 
He  contributed  a  large  sum  towards  the  establish- 
ment of  one  of  the  daily  newspapers  of  Melbourne, 
in  which  he  had  no  pecuniary  interest,  moved  by  a 
pure  conviction  that  a  paper  was  needed  which 
might  call  attention  to  many  important  social  ques- 
tions that  were  in  danger  of  being  overlooked.  One 
instance  of  his  generosity,  which  gives  a  glimpse 
of  his  nobility  of  character,  must  not  be  omitted. 
Learning  that  Mr.  Hargreave,  the  discoverer  of  the 


134 


UFE  OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


ih 


h»" 


Australian  gold-fields,  was  very  little  advantaged  by 
a  scientific  revelation  which  had  enriched  so  many 
thousands,  Mr.  Powell  most  gracefully  sent  to  hnii 
anonymously,  through  the  editor  of  the  "Argus 
newspaper,  $1,250,  as  an  acknowledgment  of  his 
own  pei-sonal  indebtedness,  and  his  sense  of  Mr. 
Hargreave's  claim  on  the  public  gratitude.* 

But  in  a  very  short  time  the  flood-tide  of  money- 
getting  turned.    People  had  imagined  that  the  gold- 
fields  were  as  permanently  productive  as  corn-lands 
or  grazing  farms.     They  were  soon  undeceived. 
The  richest  gold-finds  were  soon  exhausted.    The 
outrageous   price  of  goods  reached  its  maximum. 
The  markets  were  overstocked.    The  glut  was  fol- 
lowed  by  revulsion.    Commodities  of  various  kinds 
which  had  before  commanded  fabulous  sums  became 
utterly  unsalable.     Engagements  made  in  sanguine 
good  faith  couldnot  be  met.    Blocks  of  half-finished 
stores  and  houses  stood  as  mocking  monuments  of 
over-eager  speculation.   Great  snow-balls  of  quickly- 
gotten  wealth  had  melted  in  a  summer.     Hundreds 
elated  by  swift  success  had  adapted  their  establish- 
ments and  modes  of  living  to  an  exceptional  and 
ephemeral  state  of  things,  as  if  it  were  normal  and 
perpetual.     Many  reproduced  the  prophetic  picture : 
«  Greedy  dogs  that  can  never  have  enough— they  all 
look  to  their  own  way,  every  one  for  his  gain  from 
his  quarter.    Come  ye,  say  they,  I  will  fetch  wme, 
and  to-morrow  shall  be  as  this  day,  and  much  more 
abundant."     Not  so  Walter  Powell.     The  little  cot- 
*  The  Government  voted  Mr.  Hargreave  $2,500,  as  reimburse- 
ment of  his  traveUing  expenses. 


liOVE  TO  GOD  IN  CHRISTIAN  CHARITY.  135 

tage  at  South  Yarra,  with  its  verandah  festooned 
with  honeysuckle  and  jasmine,  was  unchanged,  ex- 
cepting that  a  few  pictures  beautified  the  walls,  and 
rather  better  furniture  filled  the  rooms.  The  habits 
of  the  household  were  not  appreciably  altered.  A 
friend  who  had  known  him  in  his  youth,  in  giving 
an  account  of  his  impressions  of  Melbourne,  said, 
"  Pleased  and  astonished  as  I  was  with  the  growth 
and  prosperity  of  the  new  city,  nothing  gratified  me 
so  much  as  to  see  Walter  Powell,  with  his  increased 
means,  still  the  same."  The  truth  is,  the  loss  of  his 
four  children  had,  in  its  effect  upon  his  character, 
counterbalanced  all  his  pecuniary  gains.  This,  with 
Divine  grace,  had  subdued  and  chastened  him,  and 
corrected  any  disposition  to  extravagance.  "O 
Lord,  I  know  that  the  way  of  man  is  not  in  himself, 
it  is  not  in  man  that  walketh  to  direct  his  steps.  O 
Lord,  correct  me,  but  with  judgment;  not  in  Thine 
anger,  lest  Thou  bring  me  to  nothing."  Often,  the 
only  effective  directioii  is  c6>/*rection. 

But,  with  all  his  care  and  judgment,  Mr.  Powell 
suffered  very  severely,  mainly  through  his  multifa- 
rious efforts  to  help  others.  Those  efforts  involved 
him  in  heavy  solicitudes.  He  thus  became  obliged 
to  accept  the  trusteeship  and  undertake  the  princi- 
pal management  of  many  estates.  But  he  received 
the  reward  of  his  prudence  and  moderation,  and  his 
resolution  always  to  keep  his  business  well  in  hand, 
in  the  being  enabled  to  stand  firm  amidst  the  gen- 
eral crash.  Whilst  devoting  his  leisure,  his  energy, 
and  his  practical  ability  to  the  interests  of  religion 
and  philanthropy,  he  yet  showed  much  meekness  of 


136 


LIFE  OF   WALTER  TOWELL. 


LOVE  TO   GOD  IN  CHEISTIAN  CHAKITY. 


137 


<H» 


wisdom  in  tlio  steady  preference  of  the  less  promi- 
nent and  more  lowly  walks  of  usefulness.     lie  per- 
sistently held  out  against  repeated  requisitions  to 
enter  Parliament ;  nor  would  he  so  much  as  allow 
his  name  to  be  placed  upon  the  list  of  magistrates. 
One   reason  for  this   retiring  spirit  was  his   sensi- 
tiveness as  to  the  want  of  a  thorough  systematic  ed- 
ucation in  early  life;  a  want  which  he,  however, 
with  surprising  success,  labored  to  supply.     Mean- 
while, he  kept  within  the  s])here  for  which  he  felt 
himself  most  fitted.     He  earnestly  devoted  himself 
to  the  formation  of  a  fund  for  the  support  of  aged 
ministers  and  ministers'  widows,  and  to  the  erection 
of  the  large  Wesley  Church  in  Melbourne,  said  to 
be  "  imdeniably  the  finest  church  in  Australasia,"  and 
pronounced  by  Dr.  Jobson  to  be  "  the  noblest  eccle- 
siastical edifice  in   Methodism,  surpassing  any  in 
England  or  America."     He  was  also  an  active  mem- 
ber of  the  Committees  of  the  Bible  Society  and  the 
Benevolent  Asylnm,  and  was  especially  interested 
in  the  erection  of  a  workshop,  that  the  inmates  might 
be  employed  in  tailoring,  shoemaking,  hat-making, 
sewing,  etc.      He  undertook  a  week-night  Bible- 
class  for  the  elder  Sunday-scholars.    He  also  labored 
vio-orously  in   the  establishment   of   an   Industrial 
Home,  and  was,  in  short,  "  ready  for  every  good 
word  and  work." 

All  this  was  done  under  a  solemn  sense  of  respon- 
sibility, and  from  no  pitiful  ambition,  as  appears 
from  such  records  in  his  journal  as  the  following: 
"  I  must  not  be  inert,  or  indefinite  in  action.  By 
the  Providence  of  God  I  am  placed  in  a  most  re- 


sponsible  position.  /  must  world  work  for  the 
Church,  and — should  the  way  be  made  plain — for 
the  State  also.  JSTo  more  shrinking ;  no  more  self- 
indulgence  ;  but  earnest,  sincere,  decided  effort  for 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  man.  The  ambi- 
tion is  noble  to  do  good  and  be  abundantly  useful. 
May  God,  the  Source  of  all  strength,  give  me  grace 
and  wisdom,  and  plainly  indicate  my  path,  and  par- 
don my  offences? "  He  endeavored,  moreover,  to 
animate  others  by  his  exhortations,  as  well  as  to  pro- 
voke them  by  his  example,  to  a  course  of  Christian 
toil  and  sacrifice,  and  to  earnest  spiritual  and  men- 
tal cultivation.  He  kept  an  exact  record  of  the 
daily  disposal  of  his  time,  and  noticed  his  progress 
in  self-training.  Neither  his  laboi-s  nor  his  givings 
were  confined  to  Methodism.  He  accepted  the 
presidency  of  the  Melbourne  Sunday  School  Union. 
As  organist  and  choir-master  he  gave  attention  to 
practising  the  choir,  and  was  extensively  employed 
in  drawing  up  reports  on  the  state,  the  prospects, 
and  the  wisest  management  of  the  various  Wesleyan 
institutions  in  Victoria.  He  took  a  statesmanly 
view  of  the  duties  and  destinies  of  Methodism  in 
the  Australasian  colonies. 

In  short,  the  story  of  Mr.  Powell's  Life,  from  this 
time  onward,  could  it  be  exactly  detailed,  would 
form  a  continuous  clironicle  of  schemes,  sacrifices, 
and  efforts  for  the  public  good  and  the  extension  of 
the  kingdom  of  God,  and  of  the  "  work  of  faith  and 
labor  of  love."  The  simple  statement  of  his  bene- 
factions would  form  a  rich  lesson  on  intelligent  and 
conscientious  charity.     The  discretion,  discrimina- 


•flf^ 


138 


UFB  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


tion,  and  judiciousness,  by  which  his  munificence 
was  regulated,  incalculably  enhanced  their  perma- 
nent utility.  Yet  his  givings  were  not  all  made  m 
large  lumps,  or  on  great  occasions.  Except  when  it 
was  necessary  to  provoke  others  to  good  works  his 
left  hand  never  knew  what  his  right  hand  did.  Most 
of  his  donations  were  entered  in  no  Report,  but  that 
which  is  kept  on  high. 


.'^ 


CHAPTER  XL 

HIS  SECOND   VOYAGE  TO   ENGLAND. 

In  1856  Mrs.  Powell's  health  gave  way  so  seriously 
that  her  medical  advisers  urged  a  voyage  to  Eng- 
land as  the  most  promising  remedial  measure.  This 
was  regarded  by  Mr.  Powell  as  a  providential  indica- 
tion. He  was  also  very  anxious  to  see  once  more  a 
sister  in  England  who  was  slowly  sinking  under  an 
incurable  disease.  Business  had  now  become  more 
settled,  and  he  clearly  saw  that  a  second  visit  to  his 
native  land  was  necessary  to  the  perfecting  his  re- 
lations with  English  firms  and  his  general  business 
arrangements.  Above  all  he  wished  to  study  in  the 
great  centres  of  ti-ade  the  principles  of  legitimate 
success.  He  was,  however,  wide  awake  to  the  danger 
of  leaving  a  large  business  for  a  year  and  a  half 
without  its  principal.     He  had  recently  written  to 

Mr.  Butters:   " has  retunied  from  England. 

Such  changes  a  few  months  have  wrought  that  he 
seems  to  have  lost  the  run  of  things.  All  the  buoys 
have  been  taken  up  during  his  absence.  He  help- 
lessly leaves  all  to ,  being  obliged  to  keep  his 

pilot  on  board.  A  warning  this  to  any  '  Successful 
Merchant '  who  contemplates  a  change ! "  But  he 
had  such  well-founded  confidence  in  the  two  young 
men  whom  he  had  selected,  trained,  tested,  and 


140 


LIFE  OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


taught  to  feel  a  personal  interest  in  tlie  business, 
that  he  felt  quite  justified  in  leaving  them  in  charge, 

even  for  so  long  a  time.  ^ 

The  following  notices  of  this  second  trip  to  Eng- 
land, written  for  the  amusement  of  friends,  can 
scarcely  fail  to  interest  our  readers.  They  still 
further  illustrate  his  powers  of  observation,  and  his 
instinctive  and  indefatigable  self -improvement.  lie 
also  drew  up  a  still  more  lively  account  for  his  little 
daughter,  who  accompanied  her  parents,  and  invited 
a  large  party  of  juveniles  almost  immediately  on  her 
return  to  Melbourne,  to  hear  her  read  the  history  of 
her  travels  and  "  surprising  adventures." 

"  MY  SECOND  VOYAGE  TO  ENGLAND. 

«  The  romance  associated  with  a  voyage  round  the 
world  in  the  days  of  Captain  Cook  is  quite  dispelled. 
Whether    accomplished    in   steam-ship   or    sailing- 
vessel,  nothing  but  disaster  can  invest  it  with  the 
charms  of  adventure.     With  a  lively  remembrance 
of  the  dulness  of  the  voyage  in  a  sailing-vessel,  I 
resolved  that  my  next  trip  should  be  by  steam,  and 
'  by  the  Overland  Route.'     We  left  Melbourne  in 
the  '  Oneida,'  a  pioneer  ship  of  a  new  company,  the 
European  and  Australasian.    She  was  a  beautifully- 
appointed  vessel,  but,  alas !  soon  proved  herself  un- 
fit for  her  voyage.     Our  first  run  was   to  Nepean 
Bay,  situated  in   the   centre  of  Kangaroo  Island. 
Here  we  were  met  by  the  '  Adelaide'  steamer,  from 
whose  deck  we  received  mails,  and  several  additional 
passengers.     With  scarce  an  hour's  delay,  onward  wo 


HIS  SECOND   VOYAGE  TO  ENGLAND. 


141 


rushed  to  Albany,  King  George's  Sound,  a  fine  har- 
bor in  Western  Australia.     The  vessel  was  detained 
here  twelve  hours  for  the  purpose  of   coaling,  an 
operation  duly  appreciated  only  by  those  who  have 
had  the  privilege  of  witnessing  it.     No  passenger 
is  hardy  enough  to  remain  on  board  while  coaling 
is  proceeded  with.    Two  huge  barges  are  moored 
to  the  steamer,  one  on  either  side.     Scores  of  be- 
grimed  figures    commence    shooting   coals   out   of 
heavy  bags  into  the  vessel's  hold ;  an  impenetrable 
cloud  of  fine  black  dust  arises,  covering  the  deck, 
choking   up   the    saloon,   and   filling   the   sleeping 
cabins  like  a  London  fog.     We  had  used  foresight 
enough  to  stow  away  every  article  damageable  by 
coal-powder,  and  imagined  that  we  had  made  our 
cabins  coal-powder  proof,  by  lianging  up  sheets  and 
towels   against  the  Venetian  blinds;    but   as   well 
might  Pharaoh  have  tried  to  keep  the  vindictive 
vermin  from  his  bedchamber. 

"  Coaling  complete,  we  point  the  vessel's  head  to- 
wards Ceylon.     Tliis  run  should  be  accomplished  in 
fourteen   or   fifteen   days;    but  within   forty-eight 
hours  our  machinery  gave  way,  and  our  fine  ship 
was  utterly  disabled.    Many  consultations  are  held 
as  to  what  must  be  done ;  some  eager  to  reach  home 
propose  to  push  on  to  Batavia,  but  as  the  ship  proved 
almost  helpless  under  sail,  it  was  finally  resolved  to 
turn  her  head,  and  make  for  King  George's  Sound 
once  more,  and  there  await  the  next  mail-steamer. 
This  was  more  easily  attempted  than  accomplished, 
with  a  vast  unwieldly  vessel,  clogged  by  useless  ma- 
chinery and  baffled  by  contrary  winds.     Day  fol- 


1 


142 


UFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


HIS   SECOND  VOYAGE  TO  ENGLAND. 


143 


I 
I 


"t 

*   : 
:     • 


■  I 


lowed  day,  without  bringing  us  any  nearer  to  our 
desired  harbor  of  refuge ;  but  at  length  the  engin- 
eer, who  showed  great  skill  and  resource  succeeded 
in  ;>  patching  up  the  engine  that  we  could  proceed 
at  quarter-speed.     We  regained  St.  George's  Sound 
in  sixteen  days,  having  retraced  a  di,-,tance  previ- 
ously passed  in  two.     Oar  joy  on  reaching  it  was 
much  tempered  by  the  infonnation  that  the  mail- 
steamer,    the    '  Simla,'    a    magnificent    ship,    had 
left  the  harbor  the  day  previously  witli   a  very 
moderate  number  of  passengers.    There  wa3  notlx- 
ins  for  it  but  to  wait  here  a  month  for  the  next 
mail.    Albany  is  a  small  town,  with  not  more  than 
two  or  three  hundred  inhabitants ;  so  the  passengers 
insisted  that  the  ship  should  be  detained,  and  util- 
ized as  a  floating  hotel.    Our  detention,  of  course, 
was  weary  enough,  but  happily  the  weather  was 
Ine,  the    country  charming,  and  the  inhabitants 
obliging.     Almost  every  day  the  passengers  went 
on  L?e,  the  captain  placing  the  ship's  boats  at 
\Lr  disposal,  and  made  agi^eable  ^e  -plo^^^^^^^ 
The  gentlemen  found  amusement  in  rabbit  shooting, 
fishing,  etc.    The  natives,  too,  afforded  no  little  di- 
version.   We  were  soon  on  very  friendly  terms  with 
them     They  readily  danced  tlie  corrohoree,  divea, 
and  threw  their  spears  and  boomerangs  for  our  de- 
lectation.   We  visited  the  native  school,  and  ob- 
served a  higher  type  of  intelligence  amongst  the 
aborigines  of  Western  Australia  than  amongst  those 
of  vTctoria.    Tlie  children  could  read,  write,  and 
sew  well;  but  we  heard  tlie  same  story  here,  as  in 
the  other  colonies,  that  after  a  time  they  abscond  to 


their  native  wilds,  not  being  able  to  endure  the 
thraldom  of  civilization.  One  incident,  especially, 
served  to  break  the  monotony  of  our  detention. 
One  of  our  passengers,  a  squatter  from  Queensland, 
had  fallen  in  love  with  a  young  lady  on  board. 
They  turned  our  misfortune  to  good  account  by  get- 
ting married  at  Albany.  There  was  some  little 
difficulty  in  procuring  for  the  bride  a  sufficient 
troicsseauy  no  provision  having  been  made  for  the 
contingency  of  a  wedding.  The  little  town  was 
ransacked  for  contributions  to  the  lady's  gear,  and 
her  bridal  dress  was  at  last  the  joint  present  of  the 
passengers  and  townsfolk.  One  sad  event,  however, 
marred  our  merriment.  The  boatswain,  firing  a 
salute  in  honor  of  the  event,  shot  off  two  of  his  fin- 
gers. A  liberal  subscription  was  immediately  made 
for  the  poor^an,  who  liad  a  wife  and  family. 

"After  we  had  lost  nearly  seven  weeks,  the 
'  European '  mail-steamer  arrived.  She  was  a  noble 
ship,  but  had  already  almost  her  full  complement 
of  passengers ;  and  pitiable  was  the  disappointment 
and  discomfort  inflicted  on  them  by  the  crowding  in 
of  some  sixty  new-comers.  All  was  endured,  how- 
ever, with  exemplary  good  feeling.  Our  voyage 
was  now  resumed  in  good  earnest. 

"  On  steamer,  as  on  shore,  there  are  ranks,  orders, 
and  degrees.  The  Englishman  carries  his  reserve 
and  taciturnity  along  with  him  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  sea.  It  may 
have  been  modified  to  some  extent  by  the  great 
freedom  which  prevails  in  colonial  social  life  ;  but 
enough  is  always  left  to  constitute  a  formidable  bar- 


144 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


HIS   SECOND  VOYAGE  TO  ENGLAND. 


145 


I   I 


\m¥ 


I 


rier  to  anything  like  a  swiftly-formed  acquaintance- 
ship,  even  in  our  small  ship-world.     Meal-times  af- 
ford the  greatest  facilities  for  fraternization.     The 
habit  of  feeding  together  is  wonderfully  equalizing 
and  uniting.     The  necessity  for  social  amusement 
perforce  brings  and  binds  for  a  time  people  together. 
Here,  as  elsewhere,  self-interest  is  the  great  bond  of 
iinion  amongst  average  human  beings.    Even  in  our 
little  community,  numberless,  though  vain,  were  the 
efforts  of  the  lower  ranks  to  creep  into  the  upper. 
It  is  quite  natural  to  depreciate  and  affect  to  despise 
those  who  happen  to  be  above  us,  but  we  soon  re- 
verse our  prejudices    if    once  admitted  into  the 
charmed  circle,  and  begin  to  wonder  at  the  vulgar 
pretensions  of  those  whose  society  we  once  enjoyed. 
Still,  even  in  this  ignoble  tendency,  the  good  pre- 
dominates ;  the  desire  to  improve  ourtposition  puts 
us  on  our  good  behavior,  and  thus  improves  our 
manners.     Our    movements   and   conversation   are 
placed  under  a  sensitive  and  rigid,  though  half-un- 
conscious, self-inspection  ;  and  we  gradually  become 
fitted  to  mingle,  not  ungracefully,  with  the  higher 
rank.     Distinctions  of  rank  would  be  less  marked 
on  ship-board  but  for  the  presence  of  the  ladies. 
They  are  your  true  aristocrats,  and  will  permit  no 
encroachment  on  what  they  regard  as  their  own  do- 
main. .  ,  . 

«  The  discipline  to  which  one  is  subjected  on  ship- 
board is,  like  all  other  discipline,  less  pleasant  than 
profitable.  So  closely  packed  together,  brought 
into  c^ose  contact  with  people  you  never  saw  before 
cut  off  from  those  whom  you  have  been  accustomed 


to  associate  with,  thrown  together,  and  shut  up  with 
a  society  not  one  element  of  which  is  of  your  own 
selection ;  debarred  from  your  usual  employments, 
you  liave  need  of  patience.     If  joa  would  pass  your 
time  agreeably,  jou  must  rein  your  tongue  and  curb 
your  temper.     You  must  learn  to  be  calm  and  cheer- 
ful in  circumstances  tending  to  disturb  and  depress. 
Those  who  will  not  learn  these  lessons  expose  them- 
selves to  constant  punishment,  and  turn  for  them- 
selves a  steamer  into  a  house  of  correction.     If  they 
quarrel,  there  is  no  getting  away  from  their  oppo- 
nents.^    There  they  are,  and  there  are  their  ene- 
mies, in  close  and  inevitable  proximity.     The  proud 
and  scornful  must  learn  to  deport  themselves  with 
humility  and  deference,  or  no  quarter  will  be  given 
to  their  airs  and  imperiousness.     Nor,  in  discussion, 
will  a  vehement  or  dogmatic  manner  be  tolerated' 
for  an  hour  in  the  saloon  of  a  first-class  steamer,  as 
you  are  sure  to  find  some  one  capable  of  casting  a 
chill  upon  your  overheated  self-importance.     Then 
you  will  assuredly  be  tried  by  annoyances  insepara- 
ble from  your  cramped  position  (having  little  space 
for  bodily  exercise),  squeamishness,  and  the  rapid 
change  of  climate.     From  a  moderate  temperature 
you   may   be   suddenly  plunged   into  the   tropical 
summer.     Prickly  heat  breaks  out  all  over  you,  and 
worries  you  for  a  week.     These  and  other  disagree- 
ables, nameless  and  numberless,  will  find  out  your 
less  amiable  peculiarities.    Whatever  may  have  been 
a  man's  apparent  character  at  the  outset  of  a  long 
voyage,  his  real  disposition  and  principles  will  dis^ 
close  themselves  befoi-e  he  lands.     '  Do  you  know 


146 


LIFE   OF  WALTER   POWELL. 


SO  and  so  ? '  said  a  pereon  to  an  old  Scotchman.    ^  I 
canna  say  I  ken  the  mon,'  was  liis  reply ;  '  I  never 
lived  with  'um.'     On  ship-board  you  do  live  with 
one  another,  and  find  it  a  shrewd  test  of  character. 
All  that  was  latent  is  there  developed.     You  gain 
such  a  view  of  a  man  there,  that  your  judgment  is 
not  likely  to  need  any  future  correction.     That  pas- 
senger, so  reserved  and  silent  at  the  beginning  of 
the  voyage,  is  not  at  all  unlikely  to  prove  the  most 
companionable  and  loquacious  man  on  board.     Yon 
dignified  pei*sonage  will  probably  turn  out  to  have 
learnt  little  else  but  deportment  (the  weakest  ani- 
mals have  some  means  of  self-defence).     Those  who 
profess  *the  broadest   charity'  and   the  'broadest 
creed'  soon   convict  themselves  of  narrowness  in 
both.     Some  who  have  overwhelmed  you  with  piti- 
less erudition,  reveal  in  good  time  their  unfathomable 
superficiality.     We  had  an  old  gentleman  on  board, 
who  for  a  while  quite  astounded  us  by  his  learning 
and  originality.     By  and  by  we  found  that  he  was 
constantly  priming  himself  on  some  particular  sub- 
ject, and  letting  himself  off  at  the  company.     Wlien 
his  stock  of  books  was  exhausted,  the  fountain  sud- 
denly became  dry.     No  duller  or  more  unconvers- 
able man  could   be  found  amongst  us  than  this 
accomplished  individual!      He  was  worthy  of  the 
talented  young  lady,  who,  having  charmed  an  even- 
ing party  with  the  brilliancy  of  Iier  conversation  on 
a  variety  of  topics  which  she  had  herself  introduced, 
was  struck  dumb  by  the  incidental  starting  of  a 
much  simpler  subject  by  another  person.     It  turned 
out  that   slie   was    reading    througli    the   *  Penny 


HIS    SECOND   VOYAGE   TO   ENGLAND. 


147 


Cyclopaedia,'  and  having  only  waded  as  far  as  the 
letter  G,  was  quite  out  of  lier  depth  on  any  theme 
which  had  the  misfortune  to  bear  an  initial  letter 
later  in  the  alphabet. 

"  One  of  our  fellow-passengers  was  at  first  re- 
markable for  his  exuberant  and  perennial  flow  of 
spirits.  The  prodigal  soon  Avasted  his  substance. 
When  disaster  and  delay  came,  he  suddenly  turned 
sour.  Some — fortunately  very  few — endeavored  to 
drown  ennui  in  deep  potations ;  but  this  unnatural 
resource  proved  a  cup  of  bitterness  to  them  all. 
They  immediately  lost  caste  in  our  community,  and 
found  themselves  drafted  ofi:  to  a  marine  Coventry. 
And  so,  as  we  steam  on,  the  mask  falls  off,  or  the 
veil  is  by  degrees  withdrawn,  and  the  contour 
charms  in  many  instances,  but  disgusts  in  others." 

In  few  men  were  the  educational  advantages  of 
travel  more  apparent  than  in  Mr.  Powell.  To  his 
long  and  frequent  voyages  were,  doubtless,  traceable 
not  only  much  of  his  general  savoir  faire^  but  mucli 
also  of  his  breadth  of  view,  catholicity  of  sentiment, 
and  the  easy  frankness  of  his  bearing.  Yet  all  this 
keen  appreciation  of  external  interests,  and  vivid 
insight  into  character,  did  not  perceptibl}^  diminish 
the  deep  undercurrent  of  religious  earnestness,  or 
interfere  with  his  spirituality  and  inwardness  of 
mind.  Happily  his  profound  personal  experience 
of  religion,  the  inward  miracles  which  had  left  their 
abiding  memorials  on  his  own  consciousness  and 
character,  formed  an  impregnable  basis  of  certainty 
in  all  promiscuous  discussions  on  religious  questions. 
Yet   he   had  enough  to  depress  and  disturb  him, 


H 


148 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


besides  the  vexatious  prolongation  of  the  voyage 
and  his  confinement  in  Albany  for  the  terra  of  one 
calendar  month.  The  relieving  steamer  brought 
very  bad  commercial  news  from  Victoria,  calculated 
to  awake  intense  anxiety  as  to  the  effect  of  his  ab- 
sence upon  his  own  affairs.  But  his  confidence  in 
God  rescued  him  from  unavailinn:  solicitudes. 

We  shall  now  recur  to  the  journal. 

"April  3d,  1857.— Sighted  the  light-house  of 
Point  de  Galle,  Ceylon.  The  harbor  is  small,  and 
much  exposed,  and  the  swell  greater  than  out  at 
sea.  The  canoes  (catamarans^  as  they  are  called) 
of  the  natives  are  very  singular,  and  ingeniously 
adapted  to  the  peculiarities  of  the  harbor,  being 
narrow  and  deep,  and  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  in 
length,  and  having  an  outrigger  in  the  shape  of  a 
curved  pole  at  each  end,  with  a  crescent-shaped  log 
fastened  at  their  points,  which  renders  them  pecul- 
iarly safe,  though  so  fragile  in  appearance,  and  cap- 
able of  withstanding  the  heaviest  sea.  The  coast 
scenery  is  very  beautiful ;  the  surf  bursts  in  most 
majestically.  No  sooner  had  we  anchored  than  we 
were  beset  with  native  boats,  soliciting  the  passen- 
gei-s  to  land,  and  asking  us  to  let  them  have  our 
clothes  to  wash.  This  they  accomplish  with  great 
expedition.  My  wife  gave  out  four  dozen  in  the 
morning,  and  had  them  back  by  four  p.m.  exquis- 
itely clean.  But  the  natives  are  the  greatest  cheats 
I  have  yet  met  with,  asking  a  sovereign  for  an 
article  for  which  they  would  gladly  take  sixpence. 
The  town  is  prettily  situated,  and  the  trees  planted 
in  the  streets  give  it  a  very  picturesque  and  Oriental 


HIS   BECOM)   VOYApE   TO   ENGLAND. 


149 


appearance.  The  streets  are  beautifully  gravelled 
and  perfectly  level,  and  the  country  roads  are  as 
straight  and  as  smooth  as  a  table.  The  houses  are 
built  of  small  stones,  stuck  together  with  mortar, 
and  are  roofed  with  burnt  tiles.  We  proceeded  to 
the  Light-house  Hotel,  not  without  difficulty ;  for  all 
the  innkeepers  have  their  noisy  agents ;  and  at  the 
corner  of  every  street,  as  in  an  Engh'sh  port,  your 
hands  are  crammed  with  cards  and  placards  from 
the  various  shops.  At  the  hotel  they  required  an 
hour  and  a  half  to  prepare  our  breakfast.  We  took 
a  one-horse  vehicle,  bearing  some  resemblance  to  a 
cab,  and  called  on  the  Wesle^-an  missionary,  Mr. 
Bipon.  We  were  sorely  tempted  to  purchase  some 
of  the  beautiful  ornamental  articles  manufactured 
here :  work-boxes,  etc.,  of  tortoise  and  other  shells 
and  various  woods,  ebony  elephants,  etc.  We  drove 
out  to  Wachwalla,  about  five  miles,  and  had  a  fine 
view  of  the  country.  The  refreshing  groves  of 
cocoa-nut  trees  finely  contrasted  with  the  dark  leaf- 


age  of  the   mango. 


The   indijrenous  flowers   are 


strikingly  beautiful,  and  grow  wild  in  every  direc- 
tion. The  roads  are  narrow,  but  so  pleasantly 
shaded,  that  although  in  the  latitude  of  five  degrees 
we  did  not  find  the  heat  oppressive.  We  also  saw 
the  cinnamon  plant,  the  nutmeg,  and  the  lemon- 
grass.  After  dining  at  the  hotel,  we  had  to  run  the 
gauntlet  back  to  the  jetty,  and  by  dint  of  resolution 
managed,  in  spite  of  distracting  vociferation,  threat- 
ening, and  abuse,  to  get  all  our  luggage  into  one 
boat,  and  treated  to  a  native  song,  with  wild  chorus, 


150 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


ins   SECOND   VOYAGE   TO   ENGLAND. 


151 


by  the  boatmen,  reached  the  ship  in  safety  at  two 
o'clock  in  the  niorninc:. 

"April  13th. — Aden.  The  dreariest  and  most 
desolate  place  imaginable.  Went  on  shore  in  one 
of  the  Arab  boats ;  not  a  tree  or  blade  of  grass  to 
be  discovered.  Dark  brown  masses  of  lava,  gro- 
tesquely sharp,  and  craggy,  from  a  hundred  to  a 
thousand  feet  in  height,  and  fortified  in  every  avail- 
able part.  It  is  stated  that  upwards  of  a  million 
sterling  has  been  expended  on  the  fortifications. 
You  approach  tlie  town  by  a  pass  deeply  cut 
through  the  volcanic  rock,  guarded  by  sentinels  and 
bristling  with  cannon.  The  population  consists  of 
Armenians,  Jews,  Arabs,  negroes,  and  Abyssinians. 
We  managed  to  get  a  one-liorse  conveyance,  capa- 
ble of  holding  four  passengers.  The  driver  agreed 
to  take  us  to  the  town  and  back  for  twelve  shillinjrs. 
Most  of  the  passengers  procured  donkeys,  some 
hoi-ses,  and  we  made  for  the  town  pell-mell.  Every 
donkey  and  horse  was  accompanied  by  its  owner, 
holding  on  by  the  tail,  or  running  alongside,  bela- 
boring the  animal  with  a  stick.  Ever  and  anon  the 
owner  would  pull  up,  and  insist  upon  furtlier  pay- 
ment, before  he  would  allow  tlie  unfortunate  rider 
to  proceed.  By  dint  of  hard  words  and  harder 
blows,  our  fellow-passengers  cleared  this  difficulty. 

"  The  negroes  and  Arabs  appear  capable  of  any 
amount  of  endurance  ;  they  run  about  without  any 
covering  to  their  heads,  and  with  scarcely  any  to 
their  bodies,  apparently  unaffected  by  the  burning 
rays  of  the  almost  vertical  sun.  We  met  long  strings 
of  camels,  troop  of  donkeys  laden  with  water-skins, 


and  a  flock  of  black  and  white  long-haired  sheep. 
Three  or  four  hundred  wretched,  dirty,  flat-roofed 
huts,  a  few  shops,  and  an  inn,  compose  tlie  town, 
which  stands  within  the  crater  of  an  extinct  volcano. 
The  shops  are  kept  by  Parsees  with  a  strong  Jewish 
physiognomy.  The  whole  scene  seemed  curse- 
stricken  ;  and  we  were  glad  enough  to  get  away  from 

it."  • 

On  reaching  England,  Mr.  Powell  was  distressed 
to   find  that  ^he  "  Oneida's "  break-down  had  de- 
prived him  of  the  privilege  of  spending  with  his  sis- 
ter the  last  fortnight  of  her  life.     She  had  died  five 
weeks  before   his   arrival.     Mr.   and   Mrs.  Powell 
spent  ten  months  in  England,  broken  by  a  seven- 
weeks'  trip  to  the  United  States.     But  Mr.  Powell 
allowed  himself  very  brief  holiday.      Almost  the 
whole  time  was  devoted  to  strenuous  business.     He 
made  a  complete  tour  of  the  manufacturing  districts 
of  England  and  Scotland,  making  himself  especially 
familiar  with  the  manufacture  of  all  the  gO(^xis  in 
which  he  traded,  visiting  all  the  iron-works  of  any 
note,  ascertaining  which  were  the  best  firms,  taking 
notes  and  writing  in  his  journal  descriptions  of  the 
most  interesting  and  ingenious  processes,  and  gath- 
ering useful  information  from  every  available  source. 
Almost  the  only  recreation  he  allowed  himself  was 
a  visit  to  the  Manchester  Exhibition  of  Fine  Arts. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

VISIT    TO    AMERICA. — RETURN    TO    MELBOURNE. — HIS 
STUDIES. REMOVAL   TO   ENGLAND. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Powell  embarked  for  America 
Sept.  2G,  1857.  The  voyage  was  very  pleasant,  their 
companion  voyagers  being  many  of  them  American 
clergymen  and  Christian  laymen  who  were  return- 
ing from  the  Conference  of  the  Evangelical  Alliance 
at  Berlin.  They  passed  through  the  skirts  of  the 
cyclone  in  which  the  "  Central  America  "  steamship 
foundered.* 

They  landed  at  Boston,  and  were  "  charmed  with 
the  elegance  of  its  public  and  private  buildings,  and 
the  loveliness  of  the  surroimding  scenery."  After 
visiting  the  neighboring  places  of  historic  interest, 
they  proceeded  to  New  York,  and  found  that  all 
they  "  had  heard  and  read  of  the  comI)ined  splendor 
and  comfort  of  American  hotels  and  steamboats 
rather  fell  short  of  than  exaggerated  the  reality." 

*  Mr.  Powell  records  a  remarkable  incident  in  connection  with 
this  molancholy  wreck.  The  captain  of  a  vessel,  hailing  from 
Havana,  observed  a  smaU  bird  fluttering  peculiarly  and  anxi- 
ously about  his  deck,  flying  back  again  repeatedly  in  the  same 
direction,  and  returning.  He  was  so  impressed  with  this  as  to 
change  his  course  in  the  direction  taken  by  the  bird,  and  at 
length  came  in  sight  of  a  raft,  to  which  several  men  were  cling- 
ing in  the  last  stage  of  exhaustion. 


VISIT  TO  AMERICA. — REMOVAL  TO  ENGLAND.    153 


While  in  New  York,  Mr.  Powell  devoted  his  morn- 
ings to  business,  having  crossed  the  Atlantic  mainly 
with  the  view  of  extending  his  commercial  connec- 
tions in  America.  The  latter  part  of  the  day  was 
given  up  to  inspection  of  the  city.  Whilst  there  he 
received  an  impressive  lesson  on  the  evils  of  over- 
trading. The  following  extracts  from  letters  record 
his  American  experiences : 

"Xew  York,  October  23d  and  24th,  1857.— On 
arrivinor  here,  I  found  invself  in  the  midst  of  the 
most  terrible  financial  panic  which  this  great  com- 
mercial city  has  ever  experienced.  In  one  day 
twenty  of  the  fifty-two  New  York  banks  suspended 
payment,  and  the  next  day  all  the  banks  throughout 
the  State  followed  their  example.  Firms  of  the  most 
undoubted  standing,  and  having  three  times  as  much 
in  stock  and  property  as  they  owed,  had  succumbed 
to  the  pressure,  and  been  compelled  either  to  become 
bankrupt,  or,  at  least,  to  suspend  payment.  All  this 
has  come  upon  them  in  six  weeks,  and  doubtless  is 
owing  to  their  having  pushed  their  railways  along 
too  quickly,  and  to  over-trading  and  general  extrava- 
gance. I  cannot  help  thinking,  however,  that  they 
have  frightened  themselves  more  than  was  necessary, 
as  they  had  very  fine  crops  this  season,  and  will  have 
an  enormous  amount  of  breadstufl:'3  to  export  be- 
sides their  cotton.  This  must  have  a  bad  effect  in 
England,  if  it  do  not  cause  a  crisis.  It  will  certainly 
occasion  many  failures  and  a  stringent  money  mar- 
ket, for  America  trades  with  England  to  the  extent 
of  two  hundred  millions  of  dollars  per  annum.  I 
scarcely  think  that  Australia  will  soon  be  revisited 
7* 


154 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


by  commercial  crisis,  unless  the  Government  plnnge 
into  plans  for  making  many  railroads  at  once.  This 
panic,  passing  under  my  immediate  observation, 
teaches  me  that  no  man  in  business  is  safe  who  has 
many  bills  payable  and  a  large  discourit  accomit. 
As  it  is  not  at  all  unlikely  that  England  may  be 
severely  tried  with  her  Indian  war  and  her  Ameri- 
can debtors,  that  the  banks  will  tighten  their  strings 
and  interest  rule  high,  take  care  that  the  rebound 
does  not  hit  you ;  for  not  America  only,  but  France 
and  Germany  also,  are  at  present  in  severe  commer- 
cial distress.  I  need  not  say  anything  on  the  subject 
of  remittances,  as  you  will  send  all  you  can  consist- 
ently with  your  own  comfort  and  safety. 

"  As  the  panic  increased,  people  sold  for  £14  or 
£16  discount.  I  declined  to  sell  bills  at  such  enor- 
mous loss,  and  therefore  shall  not  buy  until  ex- 
change is  better.  If,  on  my  return  to  England,  I 
find  any  order  for  American  goods,  I  shall  have  it 
put  in  hand,  if  possible ;  for,  although  exchange  to 
me  may  be  charged  at  £5  or  £6  loss,  the  scarcity  of 
American  goods  in  your  market  will  bring  this  up. 
There  are  so  many  American  ports  from  which  they 
ship  to  Australia,  tliat  I  cannot  learn  how  many  ves- 
sels are  laid  on.  They  must  be  very  few,  however ; 
for  tlie  panic  is  so  great  that  confidence  is  gone,  and 
most  people  have  to  go  to  market  with  dollars  down. 
Since  they  will  not  let  me  work  in  America,  I  in- 
tend to  play ;  and  while  acquiring  all  the  informa- 
tion I  can,  I  mean  also  to  see  all  I  can.  I  came 
down  to  New  York  (from  Boston)  in  one  of  their 
splendid  river  boats,  which  will  accommodate  a 


J 


,. 


VISIT   TO   AMERICA. REMOVAL   TO   ENGLAND.    155 

thousand  people.  Until  you  see  them,  you  can  have 
no  conception  what  a  vessel  may  be  brought  to. 
They  have  three  decks,  and  saloons  from  one  end  to 
the  other.  They  measure  from  three  hundred  to 
three  hundred  and  fifty  feet. 

"  The  streets  here,  like  ours,  are  mostly  at  right 
angles.  The  celebrated  Broadway  is  not  so  broad 
as  Melbourne  streets,  but  is  of  great  length.  The 
buildings  go  up  four  or  five  stories,  on  walls  only 
fourteen  inches  thick.  They  are,  however,  very 
handsome,  many  of  the  fronts  being  all  of  white 
marble.  We  stayed  at  an  hotel  where  fourteen 
hundred  people  can  be  accommodated.  We  went 
by  boat  up  the  magnificent  river  Hudson,  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles,  then  by  rail  to  Niagara.  We 
stood  upon  the  Table  Rock  dressed  like  Esquimaux, 
and  went  under  the  great  Iloree-Shoe  Fall,  not 
nearly  such  a  difiicult  or  heroic  undertaking  as  some 
represent  it.  We  crossed  to  the  opposite  side  in  a 
little  boat,  which  every  moment  seemed  as  if  it  must 
be  overturned,  yet  was  perfectly  safe.  We  thought 
the  rapids,  as  seen  from  Prospect  Tower,  quite  as 
wonderful  as  the  great  Fall  itself.  All  the  arrange- 
ments for  travelling  are  more  perfect,  methodical, 
and  safe  in  America  than  in  any  other  country.  I  paid 
six  dollars  and  a  quarter  each  for  travelling  the 
three  hundred  and  fifty  miles  by  rail,  and  only  a 
dollar  and  a  half  each  for  going  up  the  Hudson  by 
steamer.  But  they  are  beginning  to  find  out  that 
they  run  a  much  lower  rate  than  will  pay.  We  saw 
Lakes  Erie  and  Ontario.  I  give  you  but  a  skeleton 
report,  but  hope  to  clothe  the  skeleton  on  my  re- 


156 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


tura.  I  shall  not  be  so  prosy  as  to  give  yon  full 
descriptions  of  the  places  we  have  seen,  thinking 
these  things  better  said  than  sung. 

"  We  intended  to  proceed  to  Montreal,  but,  as  the 
lake  steamer  wonld  not  face  a  strong  wind  that  was 
blowing,  after  three  days'  waiting,  we  got  tired,  and 
returned  to  New  York.  We  went  to  Buffalo  and 
to  Rochester  to  see  the  Genesee  Falls.  They  are 
very  grand,  but,  passing  through  the  town,  have  not 
the  charm  of  the  clear,  pnre  waters  of  Niagara. 
We  spent  Sunday  at  Rochester,  attended  the  Meth- 
odist chapel,  and  were  shocked  by  the  irregular 
behavior  of  the  congregation,  who  were  talking 
loudly  nntil  the  service  commenced. 

"  We  found  that,  Bplendid  as  were  the  interior 
arrangements  of  the  l)oat  on  Lake  Ontario,  she  was 
in  very  bad  condition  ;  so  declined  to  commit  our 
persons  to  her.  We  afterwards  heard  that  she  was 
lost  that  very  day,  and  twenty  persons  drowned. 

"  I  hope  to  discuss  with  you  the  Yankee  mode  of 
living,  their  churches,  and  preachers  ;  but  you  must 
neither  expect  a  sound  judgment  nor  a  correct  de- 
scription, as  1  am  only  a  flying  traveller.  With 
the  country  I  am  delighted,  and  do  not  wonder  at 
the  progress  of  the  people ;  but  the  prodigal  gifts  of 
Nature  make  the  people  prodigal  in  their  expendi- 
ture. What  a  wonderfully  happy  nation  they  might 
be,  if  they  did  not  live  so  fast !  What  misery  they 
are  now  passing  through  !  and  the  sufferings  of  the 
unemployed  during  the  coming  winter,  no  one  can 
contemplate  without  deep  commiseration.  The 
present  agony  must  surely  teach  them  a  valuable 


" 


VISIT   TO    AMERICA. — REMOVAL   TO   ENGLAND.    157 

lesson ;  and  I  have  little  doubt  that  their  heavy 
losses  will  deter  English  capitalists  from  agahi 
trusting  to  anything  so  rotten  as  Yankee  rail- 
roads." 

Mr.  Powell  was  characteristically  interested  m, 
and  impressed  by,  the  immense  American  Methodist 
"  Book  Concerns ; "  and  spent  a  considerable  part 
of  his  time  in  visiting  them,  lie  had  purposed 
spending  a  much  longer  period  in  America,  but  the 
panic  compelled  him  to  change  his  plans.  The 
house  on  which  he  had  letters  of  credit  failed  ;  the 
apprehension  of  a  commercial  crisis  in  England,  and 
the  setting-in  of  the  wet  weather,  induced  his  speedy 
return.  He  was  in  Wall  Street  on  the  day  of  the 
great  rush  upon  the  banks,  and  "  saw  money  handed 
out  of  the  doors  and  windows  to  the  alarmed  and 
excited  crowds.  The  great  stores  were  selling  off, 
and  elegantly-dressed  ladies  were  seen  in  Broadway, 
hauling  great  packages  of  goods,  purchased  at  im- 
mensely reduced  prices." 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Powell  afterwards  visited  Phila- 
delphia, and  left  America  on  the  28th,  reaching 
Liverpool  on  the  9th  of  November.  Mr.  Powell 
spent  the  winter  busily  in  London ;  where,  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1858,  a  son  was  born  to  him.  Unfavorable 
news  of  the  state  of  trade  in  Victoria  reached  Eng- 
land by  the  February  mail ;  but  owing  to  the  judi- 
cious mode  in  which  his  business  was  conducted, 
"  amid  extensive  failures,"  he  "  lost  no  more  than 
£30  altogether ; "  and  taking  everything  into  con- 
sideration, the  profit  was  not  only  unexpected  but 
unexampled. 


158 


LIFE  OF   WALTFJl  POWELL. 


In  April,  1858,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Powell  commenced 
their  return  journey  ;  spending  two  or  three  weeks 
in  Paris,  and  a  few  days  at  Lyons,  wliere  their  only 
British-born  babe  died  of  cholera ;  and  a  fortnight 
in  Egypt,  where  they  nearly  lost  their  sole  survi- 
ving child.  From  Galle  to  Melbourne  tlie  voyage 
was  protracted  and  uncomfortable.  They  were  sev- 
eral weeks  without  fresh  meat,  and  the  machinery 
was  incessantly  breaking  down ;  "  the  Peninsular 
and  Oriental  Company  not  having  then  the  monop- 
oly of  the  route."  He  resolved,  should  he  ever  visit 
England  again,  not  to  return  by  the  Overland 
Route.  "  It  is  a  great  risk  to  bring  children  that 
way." 

On  reaching  Melbourne,  a  fortnight'  overdue,  Mr. 
Powell  found  his  business  "quite  snug,"  and  at 
once  gave  its  managers  very  substantial  proof  of  his 
gi-atef  ul  appreciation  of  their  services. 

He  was  "  received  with  overflowing  cordiality," 
and  two  days  after  his  arrival  received  a  requisition 
to  stand  for  the  Upper  House  ;  but  thought  he  could 
make  a  better  investment  of  his  time,  until  fitted  by 
a  regular  course  of  study  for  such  responsible  duties. 
He  was  astonislied  at  the  progress  which  Melbourne 
had  made  during  his  absence ;  not  onlj'  had  it  in- 
creased in  size,  but  also  in  beauty  and  convenience ; 
•whilst  "  in  the  suburbs,  or  small  municipalities,  the 
opening  of  new  roads  had  quite  changed  the  charac- 
ter of  the  scenery."  Four  new  railways  had  been 
commenced. 

Mr.  Powell  took  a  house,  overlooking  the  bay, 
three  miles  from  town,  but  only  eight  minutes  by 


VISIT   TO    AMERICA. — BEMOVAL  TO  ENGLAND. 


159 


rail.  He  at  once  recommenced  his  activities  in  the 
Church,  and  accepted  "  the  post  of  organist  in  the 
Wesleyan  Church  at  St.  Kilda,  and  the  supermten- 
dency  of  the  Sunday-school."  He  at  once  prepared 
a  definite  plan  for  continuous  self-education. 

He  writes  in   his  diary,    September  15,   1858 : 
"  I  have  now,  what  I  never  before  possessed,— a 
large  library,  and  a  room  for  reading  and  study. 
Next  month  I  take  into  partnership  the  two  young 
men  who  managed  my  business  so  faithfully  dunng 
my  absence.     I  only  work  at  the  business  now  from 
ten  to  one  o'clock,  but  the  rest  of  my  time  is  com- 
pletely occupied  by  Church  matters,  attending  com- 
mittees, and  by  reading,  etc. ;  in  fact,  I  have  no 
disposition  to  waste  time."     In  less  than  a  month, 
he  reduced  his  attendance  on  business  to  two  houi-s 
daily.     Mr.  Symons  testifies  that,  at   this   period, 
"Mr.  Powell  gave  up  the  greater  portion  of  his 
time  to  the  general  weal,  for  which  he  labored  in- 
cessantly and  most  usefully."     In  order  that   he 
might  be  at  liberty  for  the  service  of  the  Church, 
he  kept  himself  as  free  as  possible  not  only  from 
political,  but  also  from  commercial  engagements  ex- 
traneous to  his  own  business,  declining  even  to  be  a 
director  of  the  National  Bank.     He,  however,  felt 
bound  to  perform  the  duties  of  citizenship,  by  serv- 
ing as  a  city  councillor.     He  also  labored  hard  in 
the  humblest  departments  of  Christian  charity.    His 
diary  contains  entries  like  the  following : 

"  February  27th,  1859.— Hearing  of  Mr. -'s 

continued  illness,  I  went  over  and  stayed  with  him 
through  the  night." 


160 


LIFE  OP  WALTER  POWELL. 


The  following  was  his  plan   of  .study  at   this 
period : 

"  Monday.-Matliematics,  Englisli  history,  music." 
Tuesday.     Morning.-Graminar.   Afternoon.- 
Music  and  '  M'CullocIi's  Dictionary.'  " 

"  Wednesday.-Mathematics,      English     history, 
music."  -^ ' 

l^'Thursday.-Grammar,  English  liistory,  music." 

^  lu-iday.-Matliematics,  English  history,  music." 

featurday.-Set  apart  for  preparing  the  '  Address 

to  the  bunday-school  children.' " 

Thus  he  labored  with  conscientious  steadiness  to 

ht  himself  for  the  position  in  which  Providence  had 

placed  him,  and 

**  Followed  thus  the  ever-runmnff  year 
With  profitable  labor." 

He,  notwithstanding,  found  that  the  exigent  claims 
,of  the  Church  and  the  secular  community  so  con- 
sumed his  time  and  strengtli  as  to  baffle  to  a  great 
extent  his  best-laid  plans  of  personal  cultivation 
iiesides  this,   the   insidious   disease,  which   a   few 
years  afterwards  brought  him  to  the  grave  in  the 
higli  summer-tide  of  life,  was  beginning  to  check 
his  energies ;  and,  since  the  trutli  must  be  told  his 
generosity  had  surrounded  him  with  so  many  claim- 
ants  on  his    pecuniary  resources,  wiio   practically 
assumed  that  his  beneficence  gave  them  a  vested    * 
interest  in  his  property— a  prescriptive  right  to  fall 
back  on  him,  whenever  and  from  whatever  cause,  or 
for  whatever  pui-pose,  they  thought  a  little  ready 
money  might  be  of  service  to  tliem,  that  like  some 


VISIT  TO 


AMERICA. — REMOVAL  TO   ENGLAND.    161 


Stately  tropical  forest-tree,  he  was  in  danger  of 
being  dragged  down  by  parasitical  vegetation.  He 
therefore  ""resolved,  early  in  1860,  to  spend  three 
years  in  England,  to  give  his  constitution  a  chance 
of  recovery,'  and  his  mind  the  enrichment  and  en- 
lar^rement  which  he  believed  that  the  responsibilities 
of  his  position  required. 

On  the  day  of  his  embarkation,  a  number  of  gen- 
tlemen of  Melbourne  and  its  vicinity  entertained 
him  at  a  valedictory  dejeuner,  and  presented  him 
with  an  address,  expressive  of  their  high  sense  of 
his  worth.  The  Hon.  A.  Eraser  presided.  The  fol- 
lowing paragraph  appeared  in  the  Melbourne 
"  Wesley  an  Clironicle,"  March,  1860  : 

"Mr.  Powell's  departure  from  the  colony  is  justly 
felt  to  be  for  many  reasons  a  Connectional  loss. 
He  has  been  associated  Avith  all  our  public  move- 
ments, and  by  his  princely  liberality  and  sagacious 
counsels  greatly  contributed  to  their  success.  We 
are  glad  to  learn,  however,  that  Mr.  Powell  pur- 
poses  to  return  after  the  iapse   of  two   or  three 


yearL. 

He  again  varied  his  route,  coming  by  way  of  the 
Mauritius,  where  he  had  a  two  days'  drive  into  the 
interior  of  the  island,  seeing  all  that  is  most  remark- 
able. He  was  much  struck  by  the  beauty  of  the 
scenery  and  the  vegetation,  the  goodness  of  the 
roads,  the  plenteousness  of  the  markets,  and  the 
brilliant   colors   of  the   iish—"  vivid   blue,  scarlet, 

green,"  etc. 

On  arriving  in  London  Mr.  Powell  at  once  vig- 
orously  recommenced   his   course   of  study.      His 


162 


"FE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


N 


d,a,y  records  Ins  J.umble,  painstaking  labo,^  Ho 
Bet  apart  s.x  hours  daily  to  this  duty,  and  corre- 
sponded with  Dr.  Beard  on  the  suggestions  gi^fn 

Dr  Guthrie's  Ragged  School  in  Edinburgh,  and 
took  the  opportunity  of  seeing  the  Scotch  and  En<! 
iisii  lakes.  ^ 

He  closed  the  year  I860  and  began  1861  in  what 
can  scarcely  be  called  a  moo<l  of  lannble  and  all 
consecratuig  gratitude,  since  it  was  but  the  intensi- 
fying by  reflection  of  his  habitual  state  of  heart 
as   entry  for  Christmas   day  runs  thus:    "I  w^' 
never  more  affected  on  any  former  Christmas  than 
1  am  on  this  by  the  innumerable  benefits  bestowed 
upon  me  by  my  great  Redeemer.    My  heart  glows 
w>th  gratitude     May  the  flame  be  never  quenclfed  " 
That  for  the  last  day  of  the  year  was  as  follows : 

cie/oi  oid  ^^''"" V'""'  ^'^^^'-^^'^^-g  the  mer- 
cies of  God  during  the  past  year,  and  deploring  my 

defaciencies  as  a  Christian."  ^     ^ 

On  the  first  of  January,  1861,  he  entered  into 
partnership   with  Mr.  Henry  Reed,  an  Australian 
merchant,  by  whose  earnest  and  pointed  discourees 
as  a  lay-preacher  in  Tasmania  he  had  been  so  much 
benefited  more  than  twenty  yeare  before,  when  he 
was  a  young  clerk  in  Tasmania.     The  ofiices  were 
at  6,  Broad  Street  Buildings,  since  taken  down  to 
make  way  for  the  Broad 'Street  Terminus.    Al- 
though he  undertook  the  entire  management  of  the 
business,  Mr.  Reed  having  just  lost  his  partner,  Mr 
Hawley,  and  being  himself  advanced  in  life   Mr' 
I'owell  had  no  doubt  that  he  "should  be  able  to 


VISIT  TO   AMERICA. — REMOVAL  TO  ENGLAND.    163 

conduct  it  with  facility,"  as  it  was  based  upon  tlie 
self-same  principles  which  he  had  years  before 
adopted,  and  to  which  he  was  resolved  to  adhere, 
principles  which,  by  regularity  and  moderation, 
saved  a  world  of  trouble  and  anxiety,  and  enabled 
him  to  carry  on  immense  transactions  with  ease, 
comfort,  and  security.  He  wrote  to  the  Rev.  Daniel 
J.  Draper,  detailing  the  reasons  which  induced  him 
to  protract  his  stay  in  England,  for  so  long  a  period 
as  seven  years,  the  term  to  which  his  partnership 
extended,  and  expressing  an  earnest  hope  that  he 
might  be  yet  spared  to  spend  several  years  in  Vic- 
toria, ffivinoj  a  sketch  of  the  state  of  Methodism  in 
London,  and  inquiring  how  he  might  best  help  the 
Church  in  Australia. 

Thus  the  ambition  of  his  boyhood  was  realized, 
and'  that  by  the  most  direct  and  honorable  means, 
in  fact,  by  God's  blessing  on  the  observance  of  God's 
own  laws.  He  was  now  a  London  merchant,  his 
office  being  within  a  few  minutes'  walk  of  that 
which  his  father  had  left  more  than  forty  years  be- 
fore. 

In  the  summer  of  that  year  he  had  an  enfeebling 
attack  of  scarlatina ;  recovering  from  which,  he  felt 
it  necessary  to  take  a  month's  tour  in  France,  Swit- 
zerland, and  Germany,  attending  the  meeting  of  the 
Evangelical  Alliance  at  Geneva,  and  returning  by 
the  Rhine  "  in  the  same  boat  with  the  King  of 
Prussia."  lie  embarked  for  England  at  Rotterdam, 
and  reached  home,  feeling  "  iit  for  another  twelve- 
month's wear  and  tear." 

His  record  for  January  the  1st,  1862,  is  as  fol- 


164 


LIFE  OF  WALTEK  POWELL. 


I 


r 


I 


n 


lows :  "  Began  the  new  year  in  Bayswater  Chapel 
with  joy.  Reviewing  the  past  year,  I  felt  that  I 
had  every  reason  to  tliank  God,  and  take  courage. 
I  dedicate  myself  to  Thy  service,  O  God  !  hody, 
soul,  and  spirit.  May  the  time  i)ast  suffice  wherein 
I  have  transgressed  Thy  law  I  May  loving  gratitude 
urge  me  onward  to  every  good  work !  May  I  re- 
deem the  time ;  cast  oif  ^  the  works  of  darkness,' 
and  put  on  the  whole  armor  of  light ! "  In  accord- 
ance with  this  renewed  dedication  to  the  service  of 
God,  he  consented  to  undertake  the  superintend- 
ency  of  the  AVesleyan  Sunday-school,  Denbigh  Eoad, 
Bayswater. 

He  took  full  advantage  of  thw  great  Exhibition  of 
1862,  as  an  extraordinai*y  opportunity  of  acquirino" 
information  in  the  most  interestiug  and  effective 
manner.  For  this  he  had  special  facilities,  as  he 
resided  at  Kensington,  within  easy  reach  of  the 
great  palace  of  Industry  and  Art.  On  the  25th  of 
October,  he  writes  to  a  friend  in  Melbourne :  "  I 
have  been  to  take  a  last  fgnd  look,  a  melancholy 
farewell  of  the  most  beautiful  and  varied  collection 
the  world  has  ever  seen.  I  nnist  not  indulire  in 
descriptions,  though  I  could  write  a  volume  of 
*Pei*soual  Experiences  in  the  Exhibition,' but  inex- 
orable business  commands  me  to  proceed  to  ordinary 
topics." 

The  record  for  January  the  1st,  1863,  is  as  fol- 
lows:  "Spent  the  last  minutes  of  1862  and  the 
first  of  1863  in  comnnuiion  with  the  God  in  w^hose 
hand  my  breath  is  and  whose  are  all  my  ways." 

On  the  22d  of  December,  1863,  he  notified  to  his 


VISIT   TO   AMERICA. — REMOVAL   TO   ENGLAND.    165 


-f 


1 


young  partners  in  Melbourne,  an  important  change 
in  his  business  relations  in  England :  "  Mr.  Heed 
has  proposed  to  retire  from  business,  and  make  it 
over  entirely  to  me.  After  due  reflection  and  con- 
sultation with  my  friend  Mr.  William  M' Arthur,*  I 
have  agreed,  and  the  dissolution  of  partnership  will 
take  place  at  the  end  of  this  month." 

The  entry  in  his  diary  on  January  1st,  1864,  is, 
"  May  the  God  of  all  grace  be  honored  by  the  new 
firm  in  all  our  transactions.  His  will  done,  and  His 
blessing  secured ! " 

*  Now  M.P.  for  Lambeth. 


CHAPTER  xiir. 

HIS    SINGLENESS   OF  PtTEPO'SP    Axrr.    „„ 

ruKl-oSB   AND    CONSCIENTIOrS    EE- 

GAKD   TO   TOE   mVINE   COMMANDS. 

lifo^n'"'I-'r-''''^"'*'*^  *"*  ^^''^  '■»  Mr.  Powell's 
ascl^M""^  '*-"'"^  ^  ''<'"^*""«"*  to  Pa"B0,  and 

ample  data  for  a  correct  and   complete  estimate 

and,  at  the  same  time,  directing  other  large  busi 
nesses  m  Anstralia.  All  his  l^tte.  were\-r  tJen 
>n  duplicate,  and  not  on  scattered  sheets  but  i^ 
prepared  "Writing  Copying  Books."  Hi;  entie 
business  correspondence  for  the  last  ten  ye^of 
h.s  l,fe  ,s  now  in  my  possession.     I  have  read  l 

studied  It  with  much  moral  and   religious  profit 
one  t''^^"-"'!"'  ''^''^^^  -d  last  point  .Wiich  Lkes 

s  !^ie1 1?  •  !''^'  "'  ^^''"'^y  ^'^ted,  carefully 
studied  the  principles  of  legitimate  success  in  trade 
He  had  also  habituated  himself  to  a  heroic  spiritua 
.•aming,  by  means  of  which  he  kept  in  check  the 
trading  spirit,  and  maintained  an  internal  isolation 
-the  life  and  peace  of  spiritual-mindedness  in  the 
midst  of  brisk  and  arduous  commerce. 

Upon  liis  conversion,  he  set  before  himself  a 


HIS  SINGLENESS   OF  PUKTOSE. 


167 


clear  and  definite  life-purpose.  That  purpose  was 
not  bounded  by  the  present  world — it  was  not  even 
based  upon  the  present  world.  He  began  his  new 
life  in  this  world  with  the  strong  conviction  and 
vivid  realization  of  the  life  to  come.  Under  the 
impression  of  a  near  view  of  eternity,  calmly  calcu- 
lating the  probabilities  of  the  shortness  of  his  own 
earthly  existence,  he  deliberately  laid  his  plans  for 
a  very  long  life — a  life  which  death  should  not 
terminate,  or  even  interrupt.  He  profoundly  be- 
lieved "  in  the  life  everlasting."  Christ  was  "  made 
to"  him  "  wisdom,"  first,  in  those  matters  in  which 
the  keenest  and  shrewdest  are  oftenest  in  error. 
He  saw  that  the  life  which  now  is,  derives  all  its 
value  and  significance  from  that  which  is  to  come. 
Hence  the  sensitive  and  solicitons  introspection, 
that  self-scrutiny  and  self-severitj^,  which  marked 
the  delicate  and  overworked  young  clerk.  Doubt- 
less, that  severity  was  sometimes  mistaken,  and  even 
morbid,  but  under  its  keen  husbandry  a  true  and 
noble  character  was  shooting  up.  Sincerity  was  the 
root,  consistency  the  stem,  and  benevolence  the 
flower.  Hence  Mr.  PowelFs  business  life  was  not  a 
something  apart,  or  even  distinct,  from  his  spiritual 
life.  Business  was  part  of  his  religion,  whilst 
relisrion  w^as  the  whole  of  his  business.  His  char- 
acter  was  all  of  a  piece — "  woven  from  the  top 
throughout."  His  exceptional  success  in  business 
was  not  the  irreat  lesson  of  his  life.  He  would  have 
been  as  good  and  as  exemplary  a  man  if  he  had 
not  succeeded,  and  yet  liis  success  was  the  natural 
sequence  of  Jiis  principles,   qualities,   and   habits. 


168 


LIFE   OF    WALTER   PO^VELL. 


Prosperity  in  Iiis  cage  was  a  providential  award  to  a 
tru8tvvx)rtlij  servant,  accordin^i.  to  the  principle,  "To 
inm   that   hath  sliall  be  giyeu,  and  he  shdl   have 
abundance."     Affluence  was  added  unto  him,  as  he 
was  intently  seeking  "the  kingdom  of  God  and  His 
righteousness."     Though    evidently    born  for   busi- 
ness    and    feeling   in   it   the   keen   enjoyment  and 
exhilaration  of  conscious  power  exercising  itself  in 
Its  native  element-being  in  this  sense  fervent  in 
sjpmt,  whilst  not  slothful  in  husiness-he  yet  never 
allowed    business   to    become   with  him  a  ruling 
passion.      It    was   never-what   with    him   givina 
always  was-a  dominant  propensity,  requiring  to  be 
kept  m  check.     It  was  throughout  a  secondary  and 
Bubordmate  consideration.     The  charm  of  business 
to  him  was  not  the  excitement  of  acquisition  or  the 
pnde  of  possession,  nor  does  he  seem  ever  to  have 
developed   that    genius   for   commerce   which   tri- 
i^mphs  in  driving  a  hard   bargain,  and  exults  in 
outwitting  and    outwilling    all   with   wliom   trade 
brings  one  into  contact.     Business  was  to  him  simply 
a   department  of    duty;    success  meant    enlarged 
facilities  for  spiritual  and  mental  cultivation    the 
means  of  helping  the  needy  and  deserving,  and' con- 
tributing  to  the  material  resources  of  the  kingdom 
of  God ;  and  tlie  speedier  attainment  of  such  an 
income  as  would  justify  his  retiring  from  business 
making  way  for  younger  men,  and  devoting  himself 
to  the  humble  offices  of  Christian  philanthropy. 

h  is  impossible  to  understand  and  correlate  the 
business  qualities  of  Mr.  Powell  without  noting 
how  they  all  grew  out  of  this  root-all  radiated 


HIS   SINGLENESS   OF   PURPOSE. 


169 


from  this  centre,  regard  to  the.  will  of  God  and 
the  interests  of  tJie  eternal  future.     It  could   not 
be  justly  said  (>f  him,  "  Mr.  Powell  is  a  very  religious 
man,  and  very  free  with  his  money,  hut  he  cer- 
tainly has  a  great  talent  for  stealing  a  march  upon 
you  and  beating  you  down  in  price,  and  he  makes 
good  use  of  it."     All   through  life,  he  was  not  so 
much  an  auctioneer's  clerk,  or  a  warehouseman,  or 
a  commission  agent,  or  a  merchant,  as  a  doer  of  the 
Word.     Hence  that   conscientiousness  and  consist- 
ency, that  keeping — to  use  an  artist's  phrase— and 
that  roundness  of  character  which  impressed  all  who 
had  the  opportunity  of  watching  him.     Hence  his 
character  was  as  clear,  translucent,  and  homogeneous 
as  the  object-glass  of  a  great  telescope ;  and  for  the 
same  reason— it  had  been  fused  again  and  again  in 
the  white  heat  of  affliction.     He  might  well   say 
with  David,  "  Thy  loving  correction  hath  made  me 
great."    (Psalm  xviii.,  Prayer  P>ook  version.)     There 
was  no   incongruity,   no   distinction    between    his 
saintly  and  his  secular  life.     His  moral  excellencies 
60  shaded  off  into  each  other  that  it  was  impossible 
to  trace  the  boundary-line  between  shrewdness  and 
generosity,  or  to  say  where  benevolence  ended'  and 
cautiousness  began.     His  estimable  qualities  did  not 
seem  to  inhere  in  separate  organs,  but  to  be  univer- 
sally  interfused.      A    keen    observer   of   character 
remarked  to  the  writer:   "Mr.  Powell   seemed  to 
me   a   rare   exception   to  the    general   rule,   'The 
children  of  this  world  are  in  their  generation  wiser 
than  the  children  of  light ; '  for  he  brought  into  his 
religion  all  the  acuteness,  energy,  and  system  which 
8 


170 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


HIS  SINGLENESS  OF  PUBIOSE. 


171 


distinguished  him  as  a  man  of  business."  An  emi- 
nent Congregationalist  minister,  the  Rev.  Henr^^ 
Allon,  one  of  the  editors  of  the  "  British  Quarterly," 
gives  the  following  testimony : 

"  In  the  whole  of  my  acquaintance  I  know  no  one 
who  impressed  me  with  more  perfect  esteem  for  the 
reality,  simplicity,  and  naturalness  of  his  piety.  He 
walked  with  God,  in  the  common  ways  of  life,  and 
with  the  natural  gait  of  men ;  and  made  devout 
service  of  God  not  a  separate  thing  of  life,  but  life 
itself.  We  hardly  suspect  how  quickly  quiet  good- 
ness like  his  comes  upon  ns  until  we  are  called  upon 
to  estimate  what  we  have  lost." 

Yet  his  spiritual-mindedness  sat  naturally  upon 
him.    He  never  attempted  a  compromise  between 
the  interests  of  this  world  and  the  next.     'No  one 
could  detect  in  him  two  interchangeable  characters 
— a  man  of  business  and  a  religious  man.      The 
whole  mass  of  his  secular  dealings  and  duties  was 
leavened  by  the  spirit  of  his  Christianity.    lie  had 
not  one  class  of  feelings  and  one  economy  of  action 
for  the   Sabbath,   and   another  for  the    six   days. 
His  Sabbath  was  the  first  day  of  the  week,  and  not 
the  last.     It  did  not  just  wipe  off  the  shortcomings 
of  the  six  days,  but  gave  to  them  its  own  celestial 
tone,  and  imbued  them  with  its  sacred  influence. 
He  never   accommodated   himself  to   the   conven- 
tional   code    of    worldly  morality,   but   witnessed 
against  it  by  his  whole  spirit  and  conduct. 

His  business  lettei-s  to  his  friends,  with  reference 
to  the  choice  of  employes  or  partners,  and  his  lect- 
ures to  young  men,  overflow  with  the  conviction 


that  Christian  character  is  the  only  sure  ground  of 
trustworthiness  in  business,  and  that  sound  conver- 
sion to  God  is  the  only  true  basis  of  Christian  char- 
acter. To  the  Young  Men's  Mutual  Improvement 
Society,  Denbigh  Road,  Bayswater,  he  says :  "  All 
your  labor  will  be  in  vain,  unless  you  have  first 
sought '  the  kingdom  of  God  and  His  righteousness.' 
Your  first  care  must  ever  be  to  keep  your  hearts  in 
a  right  relation  to  God.  Having  this  peace,  through 
Jesus  Christ,  you  may  then  safely  pray, '  Lord,  in- 
crease my  abilities.' " 

Again,  in  his  lecture  on  "  Development,"  he  re- 
minds them,  "  Spiritual  development  must  be  first. 
Many  excellencies  you  may  acquire,  by  sheer  indus- 
try, because  you  already  possess  tlieir  germ.  But 
the  power  which  is  to  change  your  heart  comes  not 
by  nature.  It  must  be  obtained  from  God.  Re- 
jecting every  other  mode  by  which  men  seek  it, 
throw  yourself  helpless  before  God,  and  ask,  ask, 
never  cease  to  ask,  until  He  gives  you  His  Holy 
Spirit.  You  will  then  stand  in  the  relation  to  God 
of  a  loving  child  to  a  loving  Father ;  and  hence- 
forth grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  your 
Lord  and  Saviour." 

To  a  friend  in  Australia,  asking  him  to  send  out 
a  managing  clerk,  he  writes :  "  Religious  principle 
is  the  only  principle  really  to  be  relied  on ;  although, 
as  we  know.  Church  membership  is  not  an  unfailing 
guarantee  for  its  possession."  To  a  young  man 
whose  temporal  interests  he  Avas  endeavoring  to  ad- 
vance, he  thus  writes : 


,i  -.^ 


I 


172 


LIFE  OF  WALTEB  POWELL. 


if 

3,1 


''•it 
1 


1:^:  ' 


ft 

l«4      i 


"  I  know  not  what  views  or  feelings  you  enter- 
tain on  the  subject  of  religion.  Let  me  say,  it  is  the 
first  requisite.  It  is  the  groundwork  of  all  good 
conduct  and  duty.  Without  it  you  will  fail  in 
everything.  With  it  you  can  conquer  every  diffi- 
culty. It  will  sustain  you  in  every  trial,  sweeten 
all  your  toil,  fill  your  heart  with  peace  and  joy. 
Without  it  the  soul  dies  for  want  of  food.  It  is  a 
power  which  gives  victory — the  most  glorious  victory 
— over  one's  own  passions,  over  sin  of  every  kind. 
You  cannot  do  without  it.  I  do  not  wish  to  weary 
you  on  this  topic,  but  if  you  feel  an  interest  in  the 
subject,  I  shall  be  glad  to  ask  one  of  the  many  ex- 
cellent Christian  ministers  I  know  in  Victoria  to  in- 
vite you  occasionally  to  his  house,  that  by  inquiry 
and  conversation  you  may  thoroughly  inform  your- 
self on  this  great  subject.  I  should  be  glad  indeed 
to  see  you  nobly  struggling,  and  eventually  raising 
yourself  to  your  right  position." 

His  religion  was  as  genial,  cheerful,  and  indulgent 
as  it  was  strict  and  earnest.  This  appears  from  the 
whole  tone  of  his  letters.  In  reply  to  a  facetious 
epistle  from  a  young  correspondent,  he  says;  "I 
am  glad  to  see  that  you  have  not  forgotten  *  the  little 
busy  bee '  of  Dr.  Watts.  Even  the  pious  Doctor 
was  not  so  etraight-laced  as  yourself.  I  am  sure  he 
would  not  have  restrained  the  industrious  insect 
from  working  on  Sundays.  Well,  let  all  your  fun 
and  merriment  be  as  harmless  as  this.    I  am  sorry 

that is  so  great  a  fidget.    I  think  the  right  way 

is  to  give  business  our  attention,  to  work  at  it  with 


HIS   SINGLENESS   OF  PTEPOSE. 


1Y3 


I 


manly  energy,  to  do  all  honestly,  and  in  the  fear  of 
God,  but  resolutely  to  avoid  corroding  care,  and  the 
perpetual  scheming  how  to  make  a  shilling  out  of 
ninepence;   to  cheerfully  ask   God's  blessing    on 
one's  business,  shunning  everything  on  which  His 
"blessing  cannot  be  confidently  asked ;  and,  withal, 
to  let  our  business  influence  be  for  the  good  of  oth- 
ers.    As  regards  your  '  old  horse  Theology,'  I  shall 
not  quarrel  with  you.     There  is  an  infinite  variety 
in  the  human  mind.     We  cannot  all  think  alike, 
even   as   to   the  teaching  of  the  New  Testament. 
Still,  there  are  certain  matters  on  which  our  Saviour 
insists,  as  essential  qualifications  for  His  kingdom. 
What  about  that  total  change  of  mind,  represented 
under  the  name  of  the  new  hirth — the  '  being  re- 
newed in  the  spirit  of '  our  '  minds '  and  other  kin- 
dred expressions  ?  which  assuredly  imply  something, 
and  that  so  marked,  that  no  one  can  be  long  in  doubt 
as  to  whether  such  a  change  has  ever  passed  upon 
him  or  not.     No,  there  is  a  higher  and  inner  life, 
which  it  is  your  privilege  to  enjoy,  which  you  can 
only  secure   by  making   a   complete  surrender  of 
yourself  to  Christ,  and  receiving  His  Spirit  to  work 
within  you.     The  subject  is  too  great  to  discuss  in 
a  few  lines,  but  I  recommend  to  your  attention  a 
little  book,  which  I  send  you  by  post,  written  by  one 
of  the  most  earnest  preachei*s  of  the  time,  an  Epis- 
copalian layman."  * 

His  views  on  the  non-essentials  of  religion  were 

*  The  correspondent  was  himself  a  GhurchmaxL 


174 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


in  accordance  with  the  following  quaint  paraphrase 
of 

Romans  xrv.  6. 

Some  Christians  to  the  Lord  regard  a  day, 

And  others  to  the  Lord  regard  it  not : 
Now,  though  these  seem  to  choose  a  different  way, 

Yet  both  at  last  to  the  same  point  are  brought. 

He  that  regards  the  day  will  reason  thus  : 
This  glorious  day,  our  Saviour  and  our  King 

Performed  some  mighty  act  of  love  for  us  ; 
Observe  the  time  in  memory  of  the  thing. 

Thus  he  to  Jesus  points  his  kind  intent, 

And  offers  prayers  and  praises  in  His  name  : 

As  to  the  Lord  alone  his  love  is  meant. 

The  Lord  accepts  it,  and  who  dares  to  blame  ? 

For  though  the  outward  shell  be  not  the  meat, 
'Tis  not  rejected  when  the  meat's  within  ; 

Though  superstition  is  a  vain  conceit, 
Commemoration,  surely,  is  no  sin. 

He  also  that  to  days  pays  no  regard. 

The  shadow  only  for  the  substance  quits. 

Towards  the  Saviour's  presence  presses  hard, 
And  outward  things  through  eagerness  omits. 

For  warmly  to  himself  he  thus  reflects  : 
My  Lord  alone  I  count  my  chiefest  good, 

All  empty  forms  my  craving  soul  rejects, 
And  seeks  the  solid  riches  of  His  blood. 

All  days  and  times  I  place  my  sole  delight 

In  Him,  the  only  object  of  my  care  ; 
External  shows  for  His  dear  sake  I  slight. 

Lest  aught  with  Jesus  my  respect  should  share. 


HIS   SINGLENESS   OF   PURPOSE.  175 

Let  not  the  observer  therefore  entertain 

Against  his  brother  any  secret  grudge, 
Nor  let  the  non-observer  call  him  vain, 

But  use  his  freedom,  and  forbear  to  judge. 

Thus  both  may  bring  their  motives  to  the  test, 
Our  condescending  Lord  will  both  approve  ; 

Let  each  pursue  the  way  he  thinks  the  best; 
He  cannot  walk  amiss  that  walks  in  love. 

To  a  young  friend  who  had  been  unsuccessful : 
"  Nothing  is  lost  whilst  honor  and  virtue  are  re- 
tained.    I  believe  you  will  pay  to  the   uttermost 
farthing.     If  it  leave  you  penniless,  you  have  wife 
and   children,  good  health,  and  the  prime  of  life. 
You  are  living  in  a  young  and  energetic  country, 
where  men  who  go  down    can,  by  good  conduct, 
readily  rise  again.    Wife  and  children  are  worth 
every  struggle  that  can  be  made  for  them.     Besides, 
there  is  a  God  who  cares  for  you,  though  you  may 
not  have  thought  enough  of  Him.      He  may,   in 
mercy,  have  placed  you  in  this  extremity,  to  drive 
you  to  seek  His  aid,  and  to  give  Him  your  heart, 
and  to  learn  that  religion  is  not  a  round  of  ceremo- 
nies, but  life,  comfort,  and  love—*  the  love  of  God 
shed  abroad'  in  your  heart  by  the   Holy  Ghost. 
You  have  not  besought  God  in  the  oi\\j  jpracticaZ 
way~Jy  Christ,    In  your  distress  try  the  plan  that 
has  never  failed  me  in  ray  affliction,  distress,  and 
poverty.     Cry  unto  God,  and  say  you  will  not  rest 
until  He  accepts  you  for  the  sake  of  your  Saviour. 
You  must  have  the  Holy  Spirit  to  make  you  a  new 
creature,  or  you  will  perish.     Beg  and  entreat  of 
Him  that  He  will  give  you  faith— power  to  trust 


\ 
i' 


176 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


H: 


l<  I 


Him  wholly.  If  you  act  thus,  God  will  accept  you 
as  Ilia  son,  and  you  will  be  able  really  to  call  Ilim 
Father,  You  will  gain  peace,  will  find  that  you 
have  only  just  begun  to  live.  There  is  no  difficulty 
in  pei-suading  God  to  be  reconciled  to  you.  lie  is 
already  '  reconciled  by  the  death '  of  your  Redeem- 
er. The  only  reconciliation  now  wanting  is  on  your 
part;  and  if  once  you,  with  a  brokqn  heart,  tell  Ilim 
you  are  willing  to  be  His  for  time  and  eternity,  you 
will  find  by  the  hitherto  unknown  peace  and  joy 
springing  in  your  heart,  that  you  have  become  a 
child  of  God.  I  have  talked  thus  on  religion,  and 
given  you  a  few  directions  that  never  have  been 
known  to  fail,  because  there  is  no  other  comfort  or 
ease  for  a  distressed  mind.  God  requires  heart- 
service  ;  and  real  temporal  good,  and,  of  course,  all 
spiritual  good,  depends  upon  our  hearts  being  in  a 
right  relation  to  God.  There  is  no  other  foundation 
on  which  to  build  true  and  abiding  honor,  virtue, 
truth,  and  love.  Make  the  Scriptures  your  constant 
study.  Establish  family  prayer  in  your  house,  if  you 
have  it  not.  Conduct  the  prayei-s  yourself,  extem- 
pore. You  will  soon  find  yourself  in  a  right  rela- 
tion to  God,  and  obtain  all  the  comfort  from  the 
promises  which  sustain  every  true  Christian  in  the 
time  of  calamity.  Think  you  that  the  eternal  God, 
whose  name  is  Love,  who  feeds  the  young  ravens, 
who  gave  His  adorable  Son  for  you,  regards  you, 
your  wife,  and  your  little  ones  with  unconcern  ?  No ! 
lie  may,  in  love,  by  tliis  unfavorable  turn  in  your 
afFaii-s,  be  drawing  you  to  seek  Him,  so  that  your 
whole  future  life  may  be  gladness.     '  ^^^  first  tho 


1 


HIS  filNGLEKESS  OF  PtTEPOSE. 


177 


. 


t 


kingdom  of  God  and  His  righteousness.'    You  have, 
heretofore,  begun  at  the  wrong  end ;  and,  of  course, 
failed.     Seize  hold  of  the  precious  opportunity  now 
afforded  by  your  afflictions,  and  henceforth  let  secu- 
lar things  be  engaged  in,  in  view  of  your  new  rela- 
tion to  God  as  His  child.     I  am  satisfied  that  sound 
piety  will  give  you  the  steadiness,  peace,  and  con- 
tentment, so  essential  for  guiding  temporal  matters 
with  discretion,  besides  the  indescribable  comfort  of 
knowing  that  the  God  of  all  power  and  love  has  a 
direct  interest  in  all  your  affairs,  and  will  guide  you 
with  His  eye.     Pray  earnestly  for  direction  as  to 
what  step  to  take  ;  the  best  path  then  will  soon  ap- 
pear."    Then  follow  suggestions  as  to  the  wisest 
course.     "  Do  not  go  among  a  small  community. 
If  you  want  to  do  business,  get  to  one  of  the  centres 
of  population.     Do  not  trouble  about  my  account. 
Pay  me  only  when  you  can  afford  it ;  and  should 
you  get  into  extremity  use  the  enclosed  $500  draft. 
Do  without  it  if  you  can,  as  I  have  plenty  to  do. 

"  Until  a  man  recognizes  God  as  his  father,  and  is 
reconciled  to  Him,  all  will  go  wrong  with  him,  and 
worse,  every  day  he  lives.  The  first  duty  is  to  be 
reconciled  to  God." 

There  is,  then,  no  incongruity  between  business 
and  devotion.  Daniel,  recording  his  sublime  inter- 
cessions and  subsequent  revelations,  simply  adds, 
"  Then  I  arose,  and  went  about  the  King's  husinessP 
And  Christianity  gives  to  commerce  its  own  special 
consecration.  The  Forerunner,  when  asked  by  the 
tax-far  me-  *  What  shall  we  do  ? "  quietly  replies, 
"  Exact  no  more  than  is  appointed  you."  To  the 
8* 


178 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


commercial  Corinthians,  St.  Paul  writes :  "  Let 
every  man  abide  in  the  same  calling  wherein  he  was 
called."  And,  again,  "Brethren,  let  every  man, 
wherein  he  is  called,  therein  abide  with  God." 


i 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

HIS  BUSINESS   PEINCIPLES   AND   CHARACTERISTICS. 

We  have  seen  that  Mr.  Powell's  social  and  com- 
mercial virtues  grew  out  of  his  duteous  regard  to 
the  will  of  God,  that  his  civic  character  was  the 
natural  product  of  his  religious  convictions,  and  that 
his  convictions  were  derived  from  his  creed,  that 
creed  not  being  a  lifeless  tradition,  but  a  substantial 
verity  which  he  was  "  persuaded  of  and  embraced." 
His  creed,  again,  though  initially  derived,  of  course, 
from  the  religious  teaching  under  which  he  was 
providentially  brought  at  the  turning-point  of  his 
spiritual  history,  was  carefully  compared  with  and 
checked  by  Divine  revelation.  He  was  a  spiritually- 
minded  man  of  business,  who  did  abide  in  God's 
tahernacle  ;  cultivating  daily  communion  with  God, 
and  finding  the  home  of  his  heart  in  the  realized 
presence  of  the  Invisible.  He  possessed,  in  a  high 
degree,  the  cardinal  virtues  of  Christian  commercial 
ethics, — integrity,  industry,  benevolence,  truthful- 
ness ;  but  all  these  divinely-human  attributes,  which 
should,  like  God's  glory,  fill  both  heaven  and  earth, 
had  their  root  in  holiness.  And  holiness  is  har- 
mony with  the  sympathies  and  antipathies  of  God. 
Hence,  Mr.  Powell  could  never  be  charged  with 
that  selfish  absorption  in  his  own  spiritual  solace 


-IT 


180 


LIFE  OF  WALTEE  POWELL. 


and  security  which  Coleridge  so  truly  calls,  "  otlier- 
worldliness ; "  nor  with  that  infirm  sentimentality  of 
benevolence  which  tlie  same  acute  writer  terms, 
"  not  goodness,  but  goodyness." 

It  was  not  in  his  nature  (renewed  as  it  had  been 
by  the  grace  of  God)  to  obtain  an  advantage  over  a 
competitor  in  trade  by  any  of  those  mean,  unworthy 
acts  which  are  the  constant  resort  of  small  and 
tricky  souls  to  draw  away  from  others  the  custom- 
ers they  have  fairly  and  honestly  gained,  lie  had 
no  "  leading  articles"  sold  at  cost  to  tempt  unwary 
buyers.  He  would  not  stoop  to  deception,  nor  allow 
any  of  his  employes  to  practise  it.  He  would  never 
permit,  for  example,  goods  of  German  manufacture 
to  be  stamped  as  if  made  in  England,  nor  let  a 
bronzed  figure  be  mistaken  for  real  bronze.  On  the 
other  liand,  he  did  not  hold  up  his  Australian  hard- 
ware establishment,  which  was  for  several  years  the 
largest  in  that  country,  as  a  great  philanthropic  in- 
stitution erected  simply  for  the  supply  of  the  public 
with  "  the  best  and  cheapest  agricultural  and  mining 
instruments,"  etc.  Ilis  direct  object  was  to  acquire 
an  honest  competence,  which  would  both  entitle  and 
enable  him  to  retire  from  business  as  early  as  possi- 
ble, and  devote  his  leisure,  his  property,  and  his 
unspent  mental  and  bodily  energies  to  the  service 
of  Christ  and  of  humanity.  But,  meanwhile,  he 
felt  himself  to  be  responsible  to  God  for  fidelity  to 
man.  He  held  that  the  man  of  business,  as  well  as 
the  statesman,  the  poet,  or  the  preacher,  must  serve 
"  his  own  generation  by  the  will  of  God." 

His  directions  to  his  managers  show  that  the  rate 


t 


) 


BUSINESS  PEINCIPLES   AND  CHARACTERISTICS.    181 

at  which  goods  were  sold  was  carefully  calculated 
upon  a  fixed  principle  of  fair  and  |)ermaneut  remu- 
neration, "not  to  be  deviated  from  by  any  sales- 
man." lie  writes,  "  I  have  full  faith  in  our  mode 
of  business,  and  am  convinced  that  it  could  not  be 
done  lower  and  done  honestly."  He  had  not  two 
consciences, — a  buying  conscience,  and  a  selling 
conscience. 

In  his  vocabulary,  salableness  was  a  synonym 
for  serviceableness :  e.g.^  "  I  have  picked  out  a  large 
variety  of  patterns  of  paraffin  lamps,  as  I  am  per- 
suaded that  if  you  push  the  trade,  by  advertising, 
etc.,  it  will  be  large  and  profitable,  because.  Firstly, 
the  principle  of  the  lamp  is  simple,  involving  no 
trouble.  Secondly,  the  light  is  brilliant,  putting 
gas  into  the  shade,  as  proved  by  experiment  here. 
Thirdly,  because  of  the  wonderful  cheapness  both 
of  lamps  and  oil,  especially  the  latter,  etc. ;  so  I 
hope  you  will  push  the  trade  with  spirit."  His  re- 
liance was  on  the  superiority  of  his  goods,  and  not 
on  any  species  of  humbug  or  deception.  For  the 
same  purpose,  we  find  him  wi'iting  to  his  managers, 

"  I  shall  keep  to  the brand  (of  iron)  only.     I 

think  by  this  means  we  shall  secure  a  splendid  iron 
trade." 

But  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  Mr.  Powell's 
minute  and  sensitive  commercial  integrity  was  the 
outflow  of  his  spiritual-mindedness.  A  sentence 
with  which  he  concludes  a  letter  to  his  managers  in 
Australia  is  strikingly  expressive  of  that  principle 
of  fidelity  to  the  interests  and  objects  of  an  absent 
master,  on  which  he  himself  strove  to  act  towards 


it  * 


182 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


his  unseen  Lord,  in  matters  not  literally  defined  in  the 
written  word.  "  As  many  things  will  arise  which  I 
cannot  possibly  advise  upon  at  this  distance,  in  all 
such  cases  act  as  you  believe  I  should  act  were  I  pres- 
ent. Whatever  the  consequence,  I  shall  be  satisfied." 
This  sensitive  integrity  Mr.  Powell  earnestly  im- 
pressed upon  his  friends  and  co-religionists.  In  his 
letters  one  meets  with  such  sentences  as  this :  "  It 
is  not  just  to  settle  property  on  your  wife,  children, 
or  others,  when  your  capital  is  barely  suflScient  to 
maintain  your  credit." 

All  this,  it  may  be  said,  is  very  well.  Truthful- 
ness,  integrity,  and  fairness  are  very  fine  qualities, 
no  doubt ;  hut  the  merchant  or  shopkeeper  who  re- 
lies for  success  wholly  on  these  virtues,  hacked  hy 
industry,  prudence,  caution,  and  frugality,  is  not 
likely  to  have  much  to  give  away.  Certainly  not, 
unless  some  rich  uncle  should  die  and  leave  him  a 
large  fortune.  Other  qualities  must  be  bracketed 
with  these,  of  which  they  form  the  necessary  coun- 
terpart. Thus  conscientiousness  must  be  coupled 
with  shrewdness ;  fairness  linked  to  wariness,  fru- 
gality to  generosity,  and  cautiousness  to  energy. 
And  it  is  the  rare  combination  of  these  qualities 
which  makes  Mr.  Powell's  cliaracter  so  well  worth 
study.  Let  us  now  look  at  the  obverse  of  the  medal. 
Let  us  note  what  may  be  called  the  supplemental 
virtues  of  business — shrewdness,  astuteness,  firm- 
ness, energy,  and  push.  Mr.  Powell  evidently  pos- 
sessed these  qualities  in  a  high  degree,  but  they 
were  always  under  the  control  of  conscientiousness. 
He  applied  to  his  business  transactions  and  relations 


t 


. 


'• 


" 


BUSINESS   PRINCIPLES   AND   CHAEACTEEISTICS.     183 

the  mingled  admonition  and  direction  given  by  our 
Lord  to  his  disciples :  "  Be  ye  wise  as  serpents  and 
harmless  as  doves."  One  need  scarcely  say  that  it 
is  not  open  to  the  Christian  to  sin,  though  it  be  in 
self-defence.  There  may  be,  and  doubtless  have 
been,  places  and  periods  in  which  for  a  time  "  he 
that  departeth  from  evil  maketh  himself  a  prey." 
Circumstances  will  occur  in  the  life  of  most  men  of 
business  in  which  the  alternative  is  to  do  wrong  or 
suffer  loss.  A  man  may  have  to  make  his  election 
between  the  being  the  victim  of  fraud  or  a  rival  in 
fraud.  In  such  a  case,  the  Christian  tradesman's 
course  is  clear :  he  will  rather  suffer  wrong,  and 
"  commit "  himself  "  to  Him  that  judgeth  right- 
eously." But  there  is  neither  good  sense  nor  char- 
ity in  loving  one's  neighbor  better  than  one's  self. 
It  is  not  only  admissible,  but  right,  to  meet  effront- 
eiy  by  self-possession,  and  wiliness  by  wariness. 
When  stupid,  unyielding,  and  evermore  exacting 
selfishness  dreams  that  it  has  brilliantly  outwitted 
plodding  conscientiousness,  and  finds  the  tables 
turned,  it  is  a  very  edifying  discovery.  To  take  ad- 
vantage of  a  neighbor's  innocent  ignorance,  or  piti- 
able necessity,  is  a  very  different  thing  from  using 
an  unjust  and  unfair  man's  unskilful,  overreaching 
avarice  as  the  means  of  its  own  defeat. 

In  studying  closely  Mr.  Powell's  modes  of  con- 
ducting business,  I  have  found  that  whatever  might 
from  some  points  of  view  wear  the  appearance  of 
hardness  or  keenness,  resulted  from  the  determina- 
tion to  secure  the  fair  and  full  advantage  of  prompt 
payment  and  large  orders.    In  accomplishing  this 


184 


I 


t  ■' 


n 

Pi 

Hi 


if 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


both  for  himself  and  those  who  had  intrusted  him 
with  their  commissions,  he  certainly  exhibited  great 
acuteness  and  persistence.     But  lie  only  labored  to 
secure  the  terms  which  would  make  continuous  busi- 
ness transactions  equally  favorable  to  both  parties. 
His  object  in  his  second  visit  to  England  was,  as  we 
have  seen,  to  make  such  arrangements  witli  manu- 
facturers and  agents  as  "  could  not  be  improved," 
and  need  not  be  disturbed.     He  resolutely  objected 
to  terms  which  placed  him  at  disadvantage  in  com- 
petition.    He  did  not  hesitate  to  use  pressure,  to 
"put  the  screw  on,"  when  he  perceived  that  such  a 
process  was  necessary  to  bVing  a  house  to  an  equita- 
ble arrangement.     Of  course,  he  would  not  deal 
with  a  firm  on  conditions  less  favorable  than  those 
which  had  been  readily  conceded  to  him  by  some  of 
the  highest  in  the  trade.     Himself  rigidly  punctual 
and  exact,  he  was  correspondingly  severe  with  oth- 
ers, keeping  them  up  to  his  own  mark.     He  would 
not  allow  parties  who  had  inflicted  on  him  the  anx- 
iety and  annoyance  resulting  from  the  non-fulfil- 
ment of  an  engagement,  through  negligence  or  pref- 
erence of  others,  to  impose  upon  him,  in  addition 
to  anxiety  and  annoyance,  the  loss  entailed  by  the 
late  arrival  of  goods  to  an  overstocked  market.     He 
found  that  respectable  houses,  acting  on  the  princi- 
ple of  caveat  emptor,  would  permit  liim  to  forego 
certain  advantages,  if  he  seemed  <;omparatively  in- 
different about  them.     In  short,  he  had  to  make  his 
own  terms  in  accordance  with  the  dictates  of  his  con- 
science and  judgment,  and  the  best  information  as 
to  the  usages  of  the  best  houses.     His  principle  was 


BUSINESS  PKmCIPLES  AND  CHARACTEEISTICS.    185 

that,  not  an  equal,  but  an  equable  remuneration  (in 
proportion  to  promptitude  of  payment  and  extent 
of  order)  was  the  only  equitable  arrangement.  He 
laid  it  down  as  a  principle,  "No  one  has  a  right  to 
trade  on  my  capital." 

He  writes,  "  I  have  never,  I  trust,  made  any  claim 
which  I  do  not  conscientiously  believe  to  be  strictly 
honest."  And  he  kept  as  sharp  a  lookout  upon  the 
consciences  of  those  with  whom  he  had  to  deal  as 
upon  his  own.  He  would  not  allow  others  to  take 
an  advantage  over  him  which  his  principles  did  not 
permit  him  to  take  over  them.  He  manifested  an 
instinctive  wide-awa/ieness.  He  would  neither  over- 
reach nor  be  overreached.  Of  course,  his  firmness 
and  exactness  were  inccmvenient,  and  often  irritating 
to  persons  whose  business  habits  were  not  like  his ; 
and  were  regarded  by  them  as  unamiable  and  an- 
noying qualities.  When  be  would  be  exact,  they 
thought  him  exacting.  But  this  could  not  be  helped. 
Business  cannot  be  adjusted  to  the  comfort  of  un- 
business-like  people.     Thus   Mr.  Powell  writes   to 

his  manager :  " is  evidently  not  much  in  love 

with  you,  but  he  is  a  man  who  has  to  be  dealt  with 
firmly.  Show  lenity,  if  there  is  a  fair  prospect ; 
but  I  am  afraid  his  case  is  incurable."  This  firm- 
ness on  his  part  was  sometimes  the  commercial  sal- 
vation of  less  resolute  men.     To  his  manager  he 

writes  again  :  " 's  matter  must  have  given  you 

much  trouble,  but  it  is  a  great  satisfaction  that  it  is 
brought  to  such  a  close.  I  hope  he  will  duly  ac- 
knowledge the  obligation  of  being  saved  from  de- 
struction ;  and,  as  to ,  if  he  get  extricated. 


im 


UFE   OP  WALTER  POWELL. 


he  ought  to  be  chiefly  on  his  knees  with  thankfulness, 
all  the  rest  of  his  life." 

He  found  that  he  must  not  only  master  "  the  art 
and  trade,"  but  also  the  "mystery"  of  an  importer 
of  hardware.     Hence,  he  resolved  "to  acquire  as 
many  secrets  of  the  trade  as  would  keep  "  bim  "  go- 
ing for  many  years  to  come."     As  in  obtaining  tbis 
information,  and  securing  these  terms,  he  had  in- 
curred great  trouble  and   expense,  he  was  wisely 
careful  that  competing  liouses  in  Australia  should 
not  gain  gratuitously,  and  in  a  few  minutes,  the  in- 
formation which  had  cost  him  so  much  travelling 
by  sea  and  land,  and  such  a  large  outlay  of  time 
strength,   and   money.     That   would    be    allowing 
others  to  acquire  hardly-won  knowledge  at  his  ex- 
pense, and  to  his  detriment.     Hence  he  would  not 
let  even  salesmen  see  his  invoices.     In  short,  he  was 
not  easily  over-seen,  and  therefore  not  readily  over- 
reached.    Few  things  annoyed  him  so  much  as  the 
"  scattering  information  obtained  at  great  toil  and 
cost."     The  knowledge  thus  acquired,  he  said,  is  as 
much  "  my  property  as  anything  else  procured  by 
great  expenditure   of   thought,  time,  and   money." 
It  was  by  the  sagacious  use  of  this  liardly-acquircd 
information,  and,  by  purchasing  "  largely  and  regu- 
larly from  the  same  houses,"  that  he  gained  influ- 
ence and  became  "  master  of  the  position."    He 
saved  over  $8,000  a  year  by  the  more  advantageous  * 
arrangements  secured  during  his  brief  stay.     His 
tone  in  negotiating  terms  gave  the  just  impression 
that  if  the  party  applied  to  would  not  accept  the 
proposed  terms,  some  other  party  would. 


yi*- 


BUSINESS  PEINCIPLES  AHD  CHABACTEEISTICS.    187 


■^ 


He  writes  :  "  None  of  the  salesmen  ought  to  see 
the  invoices.  If  they  should,  they  may  gratuitously 
hand  over  in  an  hour  knowledge  to  our  competitors 
which  it  has  cost  us  and  our  allies  many  arduous 
years  to  attain.  The  art  of  buying  well  in  England 
takes  a  lifetime  to  acquire.  Let,  therefore,  this 
precious  knowledge  be  carefully  guarded.  Let  the 
invoice-books  be  kept  under  lock  and  key." 

One  thing,  however,  is  apparent  in  studying  Mr. 
PowelFs  business  letters.  He  experienced  a  natural 
pleasure  in  the  discovery  that  his  promptitude  had 
baffled  those  who,  with  self-complacent  cleverness 
and  twinkling  fore-exultation,  had  come  with  eager 
purpose  to  forestall  him — a  day  after  the  fair  ! 
But  the  exhilaration  was  perfectly  boyish  and  inno- 
cent. "  In  malice  "  he  was  a  child ;  "  howbeit,  in 
understanding  "  he  was  a  man.  In  his  letters  to  his 
manager,  one  meets  with  communications  like  this : 

" has  been  buzzing  about and , 

saying  that  he  wants tons  of .    But  it  will 

take and four  months  to  get  it  to- 
gether, so  I  do  not  think  you  need  fear  a  great  glut 
of  the  article,  and  I  hope  we  shall  checkmate  him." 
He  took  good  care  that  his  com/petitors  should  not 
distance  him  hy  virtue  of  higher  mental  and  moral 
qualities.  He  strove  to  meet,  or  even  to  anticipate, 
the  public  taste,  as  well  as  the  public  necessities. 
Quick  payment  and  large  orders  entitle  to  favor- 
able terms.  The  nimhle  ninejpence  is  better  than 
the  slow  shilling.  These  were  his  maxims  in  deal- 
ing with  manufacturers  and  merchants.  "  I  hope  I 
shall  receive  such  splendid  remittances  from  you  " 


188 


LIFE   OP   WALTER  POWELL. 


(liis  managers)  "  during  the  summer,  that  I  shall  be 
in  a  position  to  dictate  rather  than  submit  to  terms." 
Ilis  capital,  bearing  an  iiuusually  lai'ge  proportion  to 
the  extent  of  his  business,  enabled  him  to  make 
"  splendid  armngements  with  the  best  houses  in  the 
worst  states  of  the  money-market,"  and  to  *^  take 
high  ground  "  with  firms  which  required  "  keeping 
in  check." 

Ilis  mode  of  dealing  with  defaulters  was  a  judi- 
cious combination  of  firmness  and  consideration. 
lie  never  resisted  the  cry,  "  Have  patience  with  me, 
and  I  will  pay  thee  all ;  "  but  he  insisted  on  regu- 
lar and  regulated  payments,  at  a  ratio  adjusted  to 
the  ascertained  means  of  the  debtor. 

A  few  extracts  may  suftice  for  illustration  : 

"  We  pay  cash  for  our  purchases  every  week,  and 
give  our  correspondents  the  benefit  of  every  penny 
that  ready  money  will  command.  If  we  once  began 
to  purchase  on  credit,  we  should  be  on  a  level  with 
other  people.  We  should  have  delays  in  getting 
goods  from  the  makers,  and  quotations  of  prices 
would  be  higher.  Now  we  possess  all  the  advan- 
tages a  cash  system  can  give.  Manufacturers  are 
most  anxious  for  our  orders ;  they  know  that  when 
we  ask  for  a  quotation,  they  are  placed  in  competition 
with  several  makers  of  the  same  article,  all  eager  to 
supply  us  for  cash,  and  that  they  must  cut  it  fine  to 
secure  our  order ;  while  tlieir  anxiety  to  get  ready 
money  always  acts  as  an  incentive  in  getting  goods 
quickly  out  of  their  hand,  whilst  those  who  buy  on 
credit  have  to  wait. 

"  I  am  glad  you  go  so  particularly  into  all  appar- 


\ 


BUSINESS   PRINCIPLES   AND   CHARACJTERISTICS.     189 

ent  discrepancies,  and  point  out  where  you  think  we 
have  not  done  so  well.  It  enables  us  to  keep  a 
vigilant  eye  upon  the  manufacturers,  and  if  you  are 
in  error  you  are  all  the  more  satisfied  when  you 
have  the  explanation."  Thus  the  misunderstandings 
of  merchants  are  the  renewals  of  confidence. — "  Bear 
in  mind  that  it  is  equally  important  that  we  should 
know  when  the  goods  please  you  ;  when  you  consid- 
er them  well  bought,  and  of  the  right  kind,  it  enables 
lis  to  go  with  confidence  to  the  same  makers.  We 
know  whom  to  trust.  Let  me  know,  also,  of  the 
arrival  of  each  shipment,  and  in  what  condition  it 
turns  out  of  the  ship.  It  is  a  check  upon  the  ves- 
sels, and  gives  us  something  to  guide  us  during  the 
ensuing  year." 

Our  friend  was  religiously  stnct  as  to  the  good 
conduct  of  all  his  servants  and  employes.  lie  writes 
to  his  manager : 

"  I   think   there   is   no   alternative   but   to   send 

away,  and  I  authorize  you  to  do  so,  unless  he 

remain  perfectly  sober,  industrious,  and  obedient. 
Because,  to  keep  him  in  employment,  while  he  con- 
tinues to  drink,  is  only  to  find  him  the  means  of 
gratifying  his  evil  propensities,  besides  setting  such 
a  shocking  example  to  all  your  subordinates.  Our 
duty  is  plain,  though  painful.  No  hope  is  there  for 
A?*m,  even  temporally,  while  he  remains  uneonv-erted ; 
and  the  only  thing  likely  to  lead  to  reflection,  which 
might  thus  issue,  is — suffering  !  "  * 

He  clearly  saw  that  many  a  good  man's  prospects, 

*  Mr.  Powell  greatly  befriended  this  man's  family,  when  left 
destitute. 


'i 


i    ] 


190 


LIFE   OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


family  influence,  and  religious  reputation,  have  been 
ruined  by  a  want  of  firmness. 

"  I  was  exceedingly  grieved  to  hear  of 's 

failure.  He  is  the  victim  of  his  own  good-nature, 
for  a  more  gentle  and  guileless  creature  I  believe 
there  is  not." 

"  I  think  that  friendship  in  business  should  not  go 
beyond  this, — preference  when  your  friend  supplies 
as  cheaply  as  another.  If  he  will  not,  you  must 
leave  in  self-defence,  or  your  customers  would  soon 
leave  you.     To  purchase  well  is  a  necessity." 

"  You  must  keep  in  mind  the  necessity  of  coming 

to  a  plain    and   written  agreement   with 's 

agent  as  to  the  future  of warehouse.     This 

must  be  effected  at  least  twelve  months  before  the 
lease  expires ;  so  that  if  he  ask  too  high  a  rate,  you 
can  go  elsewhere,  and  also  shut  up  the  place  six 
months  before  you  leave  it,  and  thus  destroy  the 
connection." 


CHAPTER  XV. 


HIS  BUSINESS   CHAKACTERISTICS,   CONTINUED. 

Mb.  Po^vell  was  as  exact  in  guarding  his  own 
interests  as  those  of  his  customers.     Thus  he  writes 
about  "  Starkey's  patent  beam  : "  "  The  pivots  work 
on  the  finest  balance  without  wearing.     It  is  desir- 
able for  every  one  that  wishes  an  exact  article.     I 
have  ordered  him  to  make  a  very  good  counter 
machine  for  warehouse  use,   to  prevent  the  men 
weighing  small  quantities  of  goods  on  the  large  plat- 
form scale,  by  which  process  I  think  we  lose  con- 
siderably.    I  wish  you  would  test  a  small  quantity 
of  nails,  weighed  first  on  the  platform  scale,  and 
afterwards  in  a  finer  counter  scale." 

He  judged  that  if  salaries  had  been  raised  during 
a  period  of  exceptional  prosperity,  a  reduction  of 
salary  was  right  when  such  exceptional  prosperity 
was  succeeded  by  a  time  of  corresponding  depression. 
As  at  such  seasons  rents  fall,  and  the  price  of  most 
commodities  is  lowered,  he  held  that  wages  should 
not  be  kept  up.  His  idea  was  that  em;ployes  should 
sympathize  with  and  share  in  both  the  prosperity 
and  the  adversity  of  their  principals.  We  have  seen 
how  honorably  he  acted  upon  this  maxim  when  he 
was  yet  a  servant. 

To  what  extent  the  very  conspicuous  qualities  of 


192 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


Mr.  PoweH's  personality  on  which  we  have  touched 
were  traceable  to  temperament  and   early  history, 
it  would  not  be  easy  to  detennine.     Certainly,  they 
were  not  due  to  constitutional  vigor,  or  exuberant 
health,  since  he  was  a  perpetual  invalid,  and,  to  use 
his   own    words,   was   always   "creaking."     In  his 
boyhood,  these  essential  elements  of  success  grew 
out  of  his  noble  ambition  to  retrieve  the  fortunes  of 
his  family ;  during  his  later  years  of  clerkship  they 
were  sustained  by  fidelity  to  his  employer,  and  a 
thorough,  genial  interest  in  his  employer's  success. 
In  his  earlier  career  in  Melbourne,  necessity  might 
be  the  mother  of  industry  as  well  as  of  invention. 
During  tlie  prevalence  of  the  gold  mania,  the  stim- 
ulus of  a  passing  season  of  unparalleled  prosperity 
might  keep  him  up  to  the  higliest  pitch  of  effort  and 
endurance;  but  the  self -same,  all-conquering  indus- 
try distinguished  him  as  principal  of  a  large  mer- 
cantile  establishment.     He  had  no  idea  of  relaxa- 
tion but  as  the  preparation  for  intenser  work.     His 
periods   of  sojourn   in   his  native  country  seemed 
sacred  to  hard  work.     A  few  days  with  his  maternal 
relatives  at  Worcester,  a  day  at   Oxford,  and    an 
evening  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  indulging  his  musical 
taste  by  hearing  the  "  Messiah,"  were  almost  the  only 
breaks  in  months  of  strenuous  toil,  amid  countless 
inducements  to,  and  ample  facilities  for,  the  gratifi- 
cation of  his  lively  sensibility  to  manifold  enjoy- 
ment.     Incidental   evidence    of    this    high-strung 
activity  is  abundant  throughout  his  enormous  busi- 
ness correspondence.     To  give  detailed  proof  would 


HIS   BUSINESS   CHARACTERISTICS,   CONTINUED.     193 

be  to  publish  a  record  of  his  daily  life.     An  example 
or  two  may  suffice : 

"  London,  December  11th,  1857.— It  is  now  twelve 
days  since  the  '  Emeu's  '  mail  was  delivered,  and  six 
since  that  of  the  '  Simla.'  R.  and  II.'s  order  was  in 
their  hands  the  day  after  the  arrival  of  each  mail. 
I  have  spent  three  days  in  railway  carriages,  two 
days  in  Sheffield,  and  four  in  Birmingham,  etc. ; 
had  two  Sundays,  and  the  remaining  day  was 
occupied  in  writing  and  placing  orders.  I  went  with 
M.'s  buyer  to  every  house  in  Sheffield,  London, 
Birmingham,  Dudley,  and  Willenhall,  in  many 
cases  placed  goods  at  lower  rates,  obtained  better 
discounts,  and  promise  of  increased  attention  to  the 

orders." 

He  justly  required  his  employes  to  emulate  his 
own  energy  and  painstaking.    He  writes,  "I  am 

not  sorry  you  have  got  rid  of  :  I  expect  you 

will  have  to  pack  after  him,  unless  he  gets 

smarter."  It  must  be  admitted  that  his  own  labo- 
riousness  was  sometimes  carried  to  excess.  Always 
at  the  highest  pitch  of  activity  which  his  strength 
could  fairly  sustain,  in  times  of  extraordinary  pres- 
sure he  went  beyond  due  bounds  in  unrelieved  con- 
tinuity of  toil,  working  not  only  "  like  a  slave,"  but 
as  no  humane  man  would  allow  a  slave  to  work  ;  in 
his  anxiety  that  the  work  should  be  done  well,  and 
that  no  interest  should  suffer. 

Another  secret  of  his  success  was  concentration. 
In  lectures  and  letters,  he  insists  on  Lord  Brough- 
am's axiom,  "  Be  a  whole  man  to  one  thing  at  a 
time."     To  a  friend  he  writes,  "  I  have  reasons  for 
9 


194 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


HIS  BUSIKESS  CHARACTERISTICS,  CONTINUED.     195 


not  going  into  business  in  England,  but  ratlier  than 
be  checkmated  for  the  want  of  good  agents,  I  would 
turn  to  and  try  myself."  To  another :  ^*  I  am  glad 
you  retain  your  disgust  of  politics.  Let  others 
*  frustrate  their  knavish  tricks,'  but  stick  you  to  the 
warehouse,  and  tell  the  'patriots'  that  you  will  live 
and  learn,  and  perhaps  take  a  seat  at  the  Council 
Board  at  the  mature  age  of  fifty ;  hoping  by  that 
time  to  have  your  children  settled,  and  to  be  your- 
self retired  from  business  with  a  rent  of  $15,000. 
Then  you  can  afford  to  talk,  now  you  must  work. 
The  *  orators '  will  upbraid  you.  '  Can  you  stand 
coolly  by  and  see  your  country'  (namely,  the  stump 
orators)  '  drifting  to  ruin  ? '  To  this  you  must  calmly 
reply, '  It  will  be  a  happy  clearance  for  the  country 
when  all  the  stumps  are  stubbed  out.' " 

To  another. — "  I  am  sorry  you  have  had  so  much 
worry  with  the  railway  matters.  These  secular 
trusteeships  are  unthankful  oflices.  I  hope  you  will 
soon  be  clear  of  them,  and  stick  solely  to  your  own 
business.  With  a  large  retail  business  you  will 
have  enough  to  do." 

Again.—"  I  am  sorry  that is  in  a  bad  way. 

If  he  will  affect  the  learned  man  and  the  philoso- 
pher, rather  than  the  shopkeeper,  it  must  needs  go 
hard  with  him  in  such  pinching  times." 

Once  more. — "  It  is  only  by  close  watching  and 
comparison  that  a  business  can  be  consolidated  and 
improved.  Now  your  attention  is  not  distracted  by 
other  affairs,  you  will  be  continually  discovering 
modes  of  developing  the  business,  and  of  working  it 
in  the  most  economical  manner," 


I 


♦' 


Mr.  Powell  knew  that  a  day  would  come  when 
his  Lord  would  command  the  "  servants  to  be  called 
unto  Him  to  whom  He  had  given  money,  that  He 
might  know  how  much  every  man  had  gained  hy 
tradingr  By  trading^  not  by  cheating ;  for  trading 
is  not  cheating,  and  cheating  is  not  trading.  Gained 
hy  trading, — the  very  object  of  trade  is  gain,  and 
gain  implies  skill  as  well  as  toil,  and  this  makes 
trading  an  intellectual  exercise.  Mr.  Powell's  strong 
sense  of  responsibility,  his  acute  feeling  of  a  sacred 
trusteeship  in  all  the  honorable  gains  of  a  conscien- 
tiously conducted  business,  would  not  allow  him  to 
be  indifferent  as  to  his  just  claims  on  others.  So 
much  conceded  to  the  exacting,  unyielding,  or 
shuffling  selfishness  of  others,  was  so  much  taken 
from  the  poor,  or  from  the  exigencies  of  the  Church 

of  Christ.     "  If will  not  pay  quietly,  he  must 

be  made  to  pay,"  he  writes  of  one  who  tried  to  evade 
a  clear  obligation.  lie  saw,  too*  that  his  duty  as  a 
servant  of  the  public  required  him  to  make  the  best 
terms  he  could  with  the  manufacturers,  since  such 
terms  enabled  him  to  put  a  lower  price  upon  the 
articles  which  he  procured  from  the  latter  to  meet 
the  wants  of  the  former ;  e,g.^  "  You  would  be  sur- 
prised at  the  advantage  we  derive  for  our  customers, 
in  very  many  cases,  by  placing  the  manufacturers  in 
competition  with  each  other,  and  getting  special  quo- 
tations."   "  Went  to and  Co.  but  could  not  get 

them  to  alter  their  prices  on^  penny.  After  a  des- 
perate battle  of  two  hours,  I  had  to  threaten  them 
with  withdrawing  my  orders.  I  succeeded  in  get- 
ting a  further  reduction  of  two  and  a  half  per  cent." 


196 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


« The  date  of  my  return  will  depend  entirely 
upon  your  reports  and  remittances.  If  both  be 
favorable,  I  shall  not  return  till  April  next  year ; 
if  unfavorable,  I  shall  come  next  November.  It 
would  never  do  for  me  to  remain  in  England  with 
small  remittances  coming  forward.  I  should  have 
and ,  all  down  on  me ;  but  if  thor- 
oughly well  sustained,  I  shall  be  able  to  take  high 

^T"  '  ao  not  select  their  goods,  but  leave  it  to 
the  manufacturer.  In  such  cases  you  are  sure  to 
suffer,  as  they  put  in  goods  they  cannot  sell  them- 
selves "    "  I  find  that has  no  buyer  here,  no 

one  to  select  his  patterns  or  keep  the  makers  in 
check.    This  alone  is  five  to  seven  and  a  half  per 

cent,  out  of  his  pocket."  ,    ,    ,  .,   .       ^ 

«  My  practice  is,  on  the  arrival  of  the  mail,  to  go 
through  the  indents,  and  see  what  freights  I  shall 
want  for  the  ensuing  month,  and  then  go  round  to 
all  the  agents  who  have  good  vessels,  and  make  the 
cheapest  bargain  I  can.  I  sometimes  ^nake  a  good 
one  with  a  vessel  that  wants  a  few  ons  to  fill  up. 

„I  told  my  business  would  be  five  times 

its  present  amount  if  they  would  cut  it  fine.  They, 
however  say  they  prefer  a  smaller  business  with 
'rallr  profit  IL  afraid  they  will  live  to  repent 
their  policy.    At  any  rate  I  shall  not  do  much  with 

^^""[nstead  of  allowing  cash  discount,  the  interest 
i8  to  commence  at  three  months  from  date  of  m- 
voice,  which  will  allow  me  a  uniform  rate  of  dis- 
count.   On  any  invoice  where  the  cash  chscount  is 


I 


HIS  BUSINESS  CHARACTERISTICS,   CONTINUED.     197 

allowed,  the  interest,  of  course,  commences  from 
date  of  shipment.  They  will  not  send  direct,  but 
through .  As  a  kind  of  check  on  them,  how- 
ever, I  made  them  consent  to  draw  for  only  four- 
fifths  of  each  invoice ;  the  other  fifth  you  are 
regularly  to  remit  direct  to  them,  three  months 
after  arrival  of  the  goods ;  so  on  arrival  of  the  ves- 
sel, let  it  be  entered  on  your  bill-book  as  a  regular 
engagement.  The  remaining  four-fifths  of  each  in- 
voice they  will  always  draw  for  through at 

four  months.  I  have  cut  them  down,  you  will  at 
once  perceive,  considerably.  A  clear  three  and  a 
half  per  cent,  is  saved  by  the  new  arrangement." 

"  I  see  this  cunning  gentleman  has  outwitted  you. 
"We  must  use  as  much  ingenuity  as  himself,  and  I 
hope  a  little  more."  If  he  thought  that  any  unfair 
advantage  was  gained  over  him  by  a  competing 
house,  in  dealing  with  manufacturers,  he  would 
complain  frankly  ;  but  if  complaint  were  unavailing, 
he  would  defend  himself  by  a  "  change  of  tactics," 
and  could  play  "a  very  cautious  game;"  always 
keeping,  however,  clearly  within  the  bounds  of 
truth  and  honor. 

He  could  make  a  "stir"  about  an  injustice,  and 
give  "  battle  for  long  hours  "  with  obstinate  unfair- 
ness. 

"  They  have  deceived  me  often  in  dealing  with 
them.     Trust  nothing  but  facts." 

"  Remember  that  we  had  considerable  breakage 

in  one  of 's  invoices.    In  estimating  the  damage, 

take  into  consideration  the  expense  we  were  at  in 
sending   and  receiving    back  machines,  also    the 


198 


LIFE   OF  WALTER  TOWELL. 


Biniths'  wagos  while  repairing,  and  the  difference  in 
value  between  a  repaired  machine  and  a  sound  one. 
Let  the  claim  be  fair,  and  at  the  same  time  fully 
cover  the  loss  sustained.  I  think  they  will  entertam 
it :  at  any  rate  I  shall  get  something." 

"I  hope  by  this  time  you  have  quite  subdued  the 
„reat  -—  If  lie  will  not  submit  to  your  direc- 
tions, let  him  go.    Do  not  fail  to  keep  him  up  to 

the  mark."  .  .     ,     ,     i     . 

"We  must  not  be  too  timid  with  the  bank;  a 

good,  bold  course  is  the  best  way  to  get  properly 

served  by  them."  ,    j    _*•  • 

He  had  great  faith  in  the  virtues  of  advertising. 
Hesavs-  "With  our  facilities  and  valuable  stock, 
Ir  name   ought  to    be   before   the   public   every 

^^Get to  allow  the  overcharge.    If  they  will 

not,  and  the  iron  does  not  suit  yon,  throw  it  on 
their  hands,  as  it  was  shipped  contrary  to  mstruc- 

'"«  If  we  are  to  look  for  development  in  our  trade, 
we  must  increase  the  means  of  showing  our  goods, 
and  have  premises  worthy  the  stock  we  could  dis- 
play-" 

Answers  to  applications  for  orders : 

« I  shall  be  glad  to  have  your  best  terms  of 
business  stated,  so  that  I  may  see  whether  you 
can  offer  any  advantages  I  do  not  at  present  pos- 
sess, that^  might  induce  me  to  place  some  orders 

""''^I  wii'  to  know  before  I  call  whether  you  are 
prepared  to  meet  me  on  the  above  stated  terms. 


HIS   BUSINESS  CHARACTERISTICS,   CONTINUED.     199 

They  are  what  I  can  obtain  to  the  amount  of  my 
requirements ;  it  would  be  folly  for  me  to  give  more." 

"  To  Messrs. . 

"  As  my  object  in  coming  to  England  was  to 
improve  my  business  arrangements,  and  place  them 
on  a  footing  that  could  not  be  disturbed  by  com- 
peting parties,  I  have,  of  course,  had  my  attention 

drawn  to  the  commission  charged  by  you  on 's 

iron,  and  before  addressing  you  on  that  subject, 
resolved  privately,  and  without  alluding  to  my 
arrangement  with  you,  to  inquire  from  two  influen- 
tial houses  in  London  the  commission  they  would 
charge  for  exactly  similar  business.  One  house 
asked  five  per  cent.,  the  other  four,  the  latter  house 
having  also  the  advantage  of  being  better  known. 
You  will  please  bear  in  mind  that  these  ofFers  are 
spontaneous.  I  have  not  screwed  them  down  one 
penny,  and  I  am  so  well  known  to  both  that  they 
are  content  to  give  me  three  months'  credit  in  the 
colony  without  the  slightest  security. 

"  I  must,  of  course,  go  to  the  cheapest  market, 
but  am  quite  willing  to  give  you  the  preference, 
provided  you  are  as  cheap  as  others.  I  leave  the 
matter  for  your  consideration  and  reply." 

Mr.  Powell's  promptitude  was  one  very  main 
element  in  his  success.  By  getting  his  orders 
placed  first,  he  gained  more  than  a  month's  start  in 
the  Melbourne  market.  Whatever  his  hand  or  his 
brain  found  to  do  he  did  with  his  might. 

"  It  will  be  two  months  before  those  I  first  or- 
dered are  ready.    I  coaxed  out  of  seventy 


200 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


dozen  he  had  ready,  which  will  come  at  once,  and 
come  in  nicely  for  summer  orders." 

"  I  placed  the  order  for  the  Yieille  Montagno 
zinc  immediately  on  the  arrival  of  the  mail.  It 
rose  twenty  shillings  per  ton  the  next  week. 

"The  greatest  force  of  steam  has  been  put  on 
with  your  orders,  per  '  Simla.'     You  are  aware  that 

required  live  or  six  months  to  get  out  au 

order  for  nails.     I  adopted  a  move  worthy  of . 

Expecting  an  order,  I  sent  to a  week  before 

the  *  Simla'  came,  and  placed  an  order  for  five  hun- 
dred kegs.  By  this  means  I  got  placed  on  the 
books  before  twenty  orders  that  came  by  post.     I 

then  wrote  to to  go  to  the  agent  in  London,  who 

keeps  a  stock  for  his  London  customers,  and  buy  all 
the  sizes  he  had  in  stock,  of  the  sort  we  wanted. 
He  managed  to  secure  about  twenty  tons.  As  they 
are  scarce  in  Melbourne,  I  should  think  you  will 
Bell  them  without  difficulty.  Remit  me  well,  so  as 
to  keep  me  independent." 

«  You  will  find  that  goods  come  rapidly  forward 
since  I  have  been  in  England.    I  have  quite  stirred 

up.     He  was  half  asleep,  and  thought  nothing 

of  letting  a  month  or  so  elapse  before  he  put  an 
order  in  hand.  I  have  taught  him  that  a  week's 
delay  is  dangerous.  I  think  he  is  now  quite  alive. 
I  shall  make  them  all  ship  in  good  vessels.  The 
difference  of  ten  shillings  per  ton  is  nothing  com- 
pared with  the  advantage  gained  by  speed." 

JHot  slothful  in  hu^.ness,  fervent  in  spirit,  ser- 
ving the  Lord,— I  can  give  no  truer  description  of 
Mr.  Powell's  business  habits  than  that  which  is  sup- 


'  HIS  BUSINESS  CHAEACTEEISTICS,   CONTINtTED.     201 

plied  by  Yalpy's  comment  on  this  text:  "Minime 
ignavi — i,e,,  Non  cunctantes,  sed  prompti,  ne  tardi- 
tate  nostra  pereat  opportunitas.  Ferventes  sjpiritu 
— i.e.,  Summo  animi  ardore  ad  exsequendum  ea  quae 
officii  vestri  sunt.  Domino  servientes — Omnia  qui- 
dem  officia  complectitur,  at  hie  non  docet  Paulus 
quid  sit  agendum,  sed  quomodo,  nempe  ex  animo, 
sincere,  aperte,  candide,  tanquam  Domino  Jesu 
Christo,  qui  omnia  videt,  qui  renes  et  corda  scru- 
tatur,  servientes." 

Which,  for  those  who  prefer  plain  English  to  the 
best  nineteenth-century  Latin,  may  be  thus  ren- 
dered :  ^'N'ot  in  the  least  slow,  i.e.,  not  faltering  or 
fumbling,  but  prompt,  lest  the  chance  should  slip 
away  through  our  own  unreadiness.  With  energy 
at  hailing  point — i.e.,  with  the  highest  ardor  of  soul 
towards  the  thorough  completion  of  all  the  details 
of  your  duty.  Serving  the  Lord — This  certainly 
embraces  the  whole  of  business ;  yet  here  Paul  is 
not  teaching  what  is  to  be  done,  but  how,  namely, 
from  the  very  soul,  frankly,  openly,  handsomely, 
even  as  befits  those  who  are  in  the  service  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  Who  sees  all  things  and  scrutin- 
izes the  reins  and  the  heart." 

What  Cicero  says  with  regard  to  the  orator  is 
scarcely  less  true  of  the  merchant — There  is  no  hind 
of  knowledge  which  may  not,  at  some  time  or  other, 
he  more  or  less  useful  to  him.  Mr.  Powell  brought 
a  high  general  intelligence,  and  the  results  of  assid- 
uous self-culture,  to  bear  on  the  details  of  his  trade  ; 
and  was,  consequently,  very  happy  in  his  commer- 
cial forecasts.  He  was  sagacious  in  estimating  the 
9* 


202 


LIFE  OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


effect  of  events  upon  the  market.     This  is  apparent 
in  his  business  correspondence :  e.g.^— 

«  September  4th,  1857.— Gunpowder  is  likely  to 
rise,  in  consequence  of  the  war  in  India.  Great 
part  of  our  saltpetre  comes  from  that  country,  and 
the  war  has  cut  off  most  of  the  supplies.  I  there- 
fore placed  an  order  for  five  hundred  quarter  bar- 
rels,  in  anticipation  of  your  order.  By  this  I  saved 
two  shillings  and  threepence  a  keg.  It  rose  the  very 
next  day  nine  shillings  the  lumdred weight." 

« I  am  glad  you  have  adhered  to  sending  me  bank- 
drafts.  Victoria  being  a  new  country,  and  its  suc- 
cess depending  on  good  government,  English  people 
are  very  difficult  to  persuade  that  the  investment  m 
Victoria  debentures  is  good.  You  will  have  to 
watch  the  effect  of  the  news  of  this  mail.  I  do  not 
think  that  matters  are  particularly  healthy  m  Victo- 
ria  I  fear  there  is  a  good  deal  of  speculation  in 
land  going  on,  and  this,  of  course,  absorbs  much 
money  otherwise  engaged  in  commerce." 

Business,  as  he  went  about  it,  was  a  fine,  intellec- 
tual exercise,  as  well  as  a  strict  moral  and  spiritual 
discipline.     He  made  a  perfect  war-map  of  the  de- 
partment of  commerce  in  which  he  was  engaged ; 
and  knew  the  ins  and  outs  of  it  as  well  as  the  Prus- 
sian army  knew  the  cross-roads  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Paris.    He  acquired  the  "  Open  Sesame    to  all 
the  labyrinths  of  business.     He  studied  manufactur- 
ers, agents,  merchants.    With  him  business  was  not 
only  a  system,  but  a  science.     This,  of  course,  was 
not  accomplished  without  great  expenditure  of  time 
and  brain-power.    He  writes,  during  his  second  visit 


niS  BUSINESS  CHARACTERISTICS,  CONTINUED.     203 

to  England :  "  I  wish  to  get  the  business  into  a  first- 
rate  position.  Tliis  cannot  be  done  under  twelve 
months'  stay  in  England.  I  shall,  of  course,  come 
sooner,  if  you  think  it  desirable.  Be  plain  with  me 
on  this  point.  My  coming  to  England  has  not  been 
altogether  fruitless.  I  have  already  saved  more 
than  $8,000  a  year." 

"  My  chief  business  here  is  to  look  out  for  any- 
thing that  is  likely  to  be  of  service." 

"  I  wish  you  to  give  me,  in  a  brief,  business-like 
manner,  all  your  views  that  will  tend  to  settle  the 
question,  that  I  may  get  any  papers  prepared  that 
may  be  required,  should  there  be  a  change.  Be  rea- 
sonable in  your  views,  and  it  will  facilitate  mattei's." 

His  letters  to  his  managers  put  them  in  possession 
of  his  own  broad,  general  ideas  ;  e.g.^ — 

"  September  24th,  1860. — No  one  can  tell  how 
Continental  affairs  will  go  next  year.  Should  Gari- 
baldi aim  at  Venice,  there  will  be  a  pretty  general 
Continental  scrimmage.  England,  I  am  glad  to  say, 
is  actively  preparing  in  every  way  for  defence — 
building  ships  of  war  and  fortifications,  as  well  as 
training  men — and,  I  have  no  doubt,  will  be  ready, 
should  the  trial  come,  which  may  come  amidst  the 
universal  ferment.  The  efficiency  she  is  gaining  by 
the  constant  training  of  so  many  thousands  of  rifle- 
men gives  great  confidence  and  stability  to  every 
pursuit,  especially  commerce,  which  heretofore  has 
been  constantly  taking  alarm  at  the  slightest  move- 
ment of  France.  I  hope  the  rifle  corps  in  Victoria 
will  become  as  permanent  an  institution  there  as  it 
is  likely  to  become  here." 


204 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


HIS  BUSINESS  CHAEACTEEIS'nCS,   CONTINUED.     205 


"I  hope  Queensland  will  turn  her  attention  to 
cotton,  if  on  ever  such  a  small  scale.  The  govern- 
ment should  try  a  model  cotton  farm,  with  coolie 
labor,  and  see  if  it  would  answer.  The  coolies 
would  be  a  better  breed  than  the  Chinese  to  intro- 
duce. The  cotton  shown  in  the  Exhibition  from 
Queensland  is  beautiful,  and  valued  at  eighty-eight 
cents  1  Supposing  in  ordinary  times  it  is  worth 
only  half  that  amount,  one  would  think  it  would 
pay  well  at  that. 

"  Victoria  at  last  makes  a  most  creditable  show  in 
the  Exhibition  ;  the  goods,  through  arriving  late,  are 
scattered  about,  but  still  the  effect  is  good,  and  her 
position  secure." 

"  July  20th,  1866.— On  the  whole,  the  prices  of 
manufactured  goods  will  never  be  much  lower  than 
they  are,  as  wages  hay e  j}e7'ma7ieritlf/ SidvsiUiied,  and 
since  the  gold  discoveries,  prices,  though  fluctuating, 
have  risen  steadily.  In  nearly  every  instance  in 
which  workmen  have  struck  for  wages  they  have 
gained  the  day.  Five  dollars  will  hardly  go  as  far 
now  as  three  dollars  would  before  the  gold  dis- 
coveries." 

"  I  shall  from  time  to  time  make  many  remarks 
upon  good  makers,  and  hope  you  will  cull  from  my 
letters  all  that  is  valuable  upon  this  subject,  and 
have  it  copied  into  a  book,  the  observations  placed 
opposite  each  article  they  refer  to,  as  the  informa- 
tion is  being  obtained  at  great  cost  and  trouble,  and 
I  hope  will  be  of  value  for  many  years." 

**Our  harvest  is  not  likely  to  be  a  good  one; 
unless  we  have  drier  weather  in  August  large  quan- 


tities of  produce  will  be  destroyed.  Tliis  will,  how- 
ever, benefit  the  Australian  farmer,  as  we  shall  per- 
haps require  the  surplus  grain  of  America,  and  you 
will  be  saved  to  that  extent  from  Californian  ship- 
ments." 

"  I  do  not  think  your  present  Government  will 
last  a  month.  I  am  afraid  their  appointment  will 
not  have  a  good  effect  on  Victorian  debentures,  es- 
pecially when  more  are  issued.  Italy  is  not  likely 
to  light  this  year;  she  will  wait  until  she  grows 
stronger.  We  shall  soon  know  what  is  about  to  be 
done  in  America,  as  the  new  President  takes  the 
reins  on  the  4th  of  March,  and  is  known  to  be  a  de- 
termined man." 

"  What  Victoria  most  wants  now  is  rest  from  poli- 
tics, and  that  some  intelligent  ministry  should  liold 
office  for  at  least  three  years.  Anything  is  better 
than  mob  government." 

"  There  is  every  reason  to  believe  we  shall  have 
peace,  in  which  case  there  will  be  a  reaction  up- 
wards ;  but  should  the  war  go  on,  it  will  stimulate 
many  manufacturers  in  England,  since  Germany 
made  large  quantities  of  goods  for  the  Yankee 
market,  which  will  in  that  case  be  made  in  Eng- 
land." 

"  I  think  that  Yankee  goods  will  go  up  instead  of 
down  in  your  market.  If  the  dreadful  panic  here 
should  spread  to  New  York,  goods  may  somewhat 
decline  there ;  but  high  wages  are  being  paid  in 
America,  and  that  frequently  keeps  up  prices  in 
spite  of  commercial  depression." 

"If  the  government  of  Victoria  knew  how  to 


206 


LIFE   OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


HIS  BUSINESS   CHAEACTERISTICS,   CONTINUED.     207 


turn  events  to  profit,  they  would  try  to  direct  tha 
tide  of  emigration  just  now  turned  from  America 
to  their  own  shores.  All  the  Australian  colonies 
should  awake  and  make  this  terrible  war  their  flood- 
tide  of  fortune." 

"  No  one  knows  when  the  war  on  the  Continent 
may  begin,  and  if  begun,  when  it  may  end  ;  the  re- 
sult of  suspense  to  commerce  is  almost  as  bad  as  if 
the  fight  were  going  on.  I  hope  and  pray  that  God 
in  His  infinite  mercy  may  spare  us  the  punishment 
of  a  war  of  such  tremendous  magnitude  as  that 
which  is  threatening." 

"  I  hope  the  dissolution  of  your  Parliament  will 
result  in  a  strong  and  respectable  government  that 
may  last  two  or  three  years.  This,  with  emigra- 
tion; is  all  you  want  to  make  the  colony  prosperous. 
Since  we  must  be  ruled,  let  our  rulers  have  brains 
and  education,  at  any  rate,  and  if  possible,  posi- 
tion." 

"  I  advise  you  when  this  reaches  you  to  make  up 
a  good  order  for  cutlery ;  things  are  flat  at  Shef- 
field, owing  to  the  American  war,  and,  I  think,  will 
be  as  low  as  they  well  can  be  in  about  four  months' 

time." 

"  The  steady  shipments  of  gold  are  gradually  but 
surely  raising  the  value  of  everything,  especially 
labor,  which  more  materially  affects  our  trade." 

"  One  great  disadvantage  of  direct  shipment  from 
manufacturers  is  that,  when  trade  is  brisk,  such 
orders  are  sure  not  to  receive  attention  till  the 
ready-money  customers  are  served ;  they  will  fall 
back  upon  such  orders  when  things  are  dull.     All 


the  manufacturers  are  aware  that  we  j>ay  on  de- 
mand, and  have  a  strong  motive  for  executing  our 

orders  speedily." 

« is  now  shipping  all  he  can  by  the  Black 

Ball  line.  The  difference  is  fifteen  shillings  per 
ton;  but,  I  think,  taking  into  consideration  the 
time  a  London  vessel  is  filling  up,  the  slow  passage 
generally  made,  and  the  delay  in  discharging  at 
Melbourne,  making  about  two  months  in  favor  of  a 
Black  Ball  vessel,  we  save  money  by  always  getting 
first  in  the  market.  Ship  by  good  vessels.  The 
difference  of  cost  is  nothing  in  comparison  with  the 
advantage  gained  by  speed." 

"  Send  by  a  good  clipper-ship,  as  there  is  some 
speculation   going   on   there   which   will  probably 

raise  the  price." 

"You  must  report  what  progress makes  with 

his  shop,  at .     We  must  not  despise  it  because 

it  is  a  little  place.     He  may  sell  cheap  for  all  that." 

"  Find  out  what  prices  other  shops  sell  at.  You 
must  not  be  higher.  Kapid  sales  at  light  profits 
bring  the  best  return  in  the  end.  The  larger  your 
business  the  cheaper  you  can  sell,  hence  the  folly  of 
your  keeping  too  small  a  stock.  Bear  in  mind  the 
telegraph,  if  your  stock  gets  small.  The  results  of 
turning  stock  quickly  are  quite  startling." 

He  held  that,  as  a  general  rule^  it  was  foolish  for 
a  shopkeeper  to  be  also  a  manufacturer.  "  It  works 
best  to  buy  ready  made-articles  of  the  workmen. 
If  they  find  you  are  a  steady  purchaser,  you  will 
always  be  able  to  buy  articles  at  a  fair  rate.  You 
know  then  what  an  article  costs  you,  and  instead  of 


208 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


having  a  lot  of  raw  material  constantly  on  hand,  you 
will  have  all  your  capital  invested  in  your  show- 
room and  your  shop.  The  largest  and  most  success- 
ful dealers  in  London  do  not  employ  a  single  maker 
exdudvely.  Every  week  one  little  maker  promises 
them  a  few  of  one  class  of  articles,  another  a  few  of 
a  different  description. 

"  A  good  book-keeper  is  of  vital  importance, — of 
the^V*^  necessity  to  a  business.  Double  entry  is  an 
unerring  fault-finder,  correcting  mistakes  which  a 
less  perfect  system  would  never  discover.  Without 
it  your  affairs,  in  course  of  time,  will  assimilate  to 

's,  who  muddled  himself  and  half  Melbourne." 

Another  business  axiom  was  that  retunis  and  stock 
should  be  so  managed  that  three  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  capital  should  be  turned  over  three 
times  a  year.  lie  insisted  on  the  immense  import- 
ance of  turning  stock  quickly.  "  The  results  of  a 
quick  account  are  quite  startling." 

"  The  chief  point  that  influences  our  judgment  is 
the  rapidity  with  which  an  account  is  turned  over 
in  proportion  to  the  credit.  We  expect  it  to  turn 
over  once  a  year  at  least,  while  the  interest  is  at 
eight  per  cent.  If  you  wish  the  interest  to  be  re- 
duced, the  account,  of  course,  must  revolve  more 
rapidly.  The  way  you  must  look  at  an  account  is, 
Wliat  return  does  a  person  get  for  the  money  he  has 
advanced  you  ?  It  is  by  ordering  largely  and  regu- 
larly from  one  house  that  we  gain  influence  and  ob- 
tain better  terms.  If  we  so  split  up  our  ordei-s  that 
they  are  no  larger  tlian  those  a  house  gets  elsewhere, 
we  cannot  expect  better  treatment." 


HIS   BUSINESS   CHARACTERISTICS,   CONTINUED.     209 

"  To  buy  on  credit,  and  wait  for  remittances,  is  a 
dear  plan.  The  manufacturers  always  stick  it  on, 
and  when  busy,  always  serve  their  cash  customers 
first." 

"  I  wish  you  would  turn  your  attention  to  the 
value  of  wool  as  a  remittance.  True,  it  is  a  specu- 
lative article,  and  occasionally  you  may  lose,  but  I 
find  that  our  customers  who  remit  in  wool,  on  an 
average  of  years,  not  only  save  exchanges,  but  make 
a  profit  besides.  You  would,  of  coui-se,  have  to 
employ  a  shrewd  judge  of  wool,  otherwise  the  bro- 
ker might  sell  youP 

Mr.  Powell  deemed  it  of  importance  to  have  not 
only  a  full-sized  show-room,  but  also  some  strikingly 
handsome  goods ;  even  of  a  class  for  which  there 
was  no  very  large  demand,  as  being  attractive  to 
customers.  For,  to  gratify  the  general  taste  for 
beauty  in  an  open,  honest  manner,  available  to  every 
one  in  the  trade,  differs  widely  in  its  moral  quality 
from  the  trick  of  decoying  customei^  by  acting  de- 
ceptively upon  their  blind  eagerness  for  a  wonder- 
fully cheap  article.  With  the  same  view  he  would 
have  beautiful  models  of  the  larger  machines  dis- 
posed about  the  show-room.  An  attractive  appear- 
ance in  business  premises,  and  in  arrangement  of 
goods,  gives  a  fair  vantage  ground  in  competition. 

To  a  friend  in  another  line  of  business : 

"  I  am  determined  before  T leave  England  to  find 
out  the  cheapest  market  for  your  goods  as  well  as 
for  my  own.  I  am  going  to  Stoke,  in  Staffordshire, 
to  see  an  earthenware  manufacturer,  who  makes 
most  beautiful  fancy  flower-pots.    As  flowers  are 


210 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


getting  such  a  rage  at  Melbourne,  I  Bhall  select  a 
crate  for  you,  as  they  come  to  little  money,  and  af- 
ford an  enormous  profit.  Tliey  will  prove  a  great 
attraction,  and  draw  fresh  customei-s  to  your  ware- 
house." 

"  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  all  the  quotations  of  the 
prices  merchants  are  getting  for  our  leading  goods. 
It  will  be  a  guide  to  me.  Let  me  have  as  full  a  re- 
port as  possible  of  the  goods  you  open,  whether 
suitable  or  not,  dear  or  cheap.  Give  me  makers' 
names,  and  the  ship  by  which  you  had  them.  All 
the  small  miscellaneous  information  you  can  cram 
into  your  letters  will  be  acceptable,  but  do  not  let 
me  overtax  you." 

"  To  insure  against  war  risk  will  be  no  loss,  as  all 
the  leading  houses  are  insuring,  and  you  must  all 
advance  the  prices  of  your  goods." 

"  It  is  better  to  sell  before  the  railway  is  opened. 
Anticipation  generally  exceeds  reality,  and  I  am 
convinced  it  will  be  so  in  this  instance.  But  what- 
ever you  do  be  in  earnest  about  it." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

OTHER  BUSINESS  CHARAOTEEIS'nCS  ILLUSTRATED PRU- 
DENCE, CAUTION,  WATCHFULNESS,  AND  SOUND  JUDG- 
MENT. 

Prudence  in  business  matters  is  an  essential  trait 
of  morality  and  therefore  of  natural  religion. 
There  is  as  much  of  moral  principle  as  of  sound 
common-sense  in  the  declaration  of  Solomon,  "  He 
that  is  surety  for  a  stranger  shall  smart  for  it,  but 
he  that  hateth  suretyship  is  sure."  Mr.  Powell  had 
learned  prudence  in  these  matters,  not  only  from 
the  Scriptures  but  also  from  sharp  experience.  He 
was  capable  of  the  very  chivalry  of  friendship.  A 
gentleman  writes:  "  He  often  advanced  me  very  large 
suras,  as  much  as  $350,000  at  once,  with  no  security 
whatever  but  my  honor."  And  this,  though  an  ex- 
treme, was  by  no  means  a  solitar}^  case.  He  con- 
fesses to  a  friend :  "  I  have  been  in  great  misery, 
wholly  owing  to  my  having  allowed  my  various 
correspondents  to  exceed  their  cash  credits.  I  am 
now  finally  resolved  to  keep  them  within  limits  ;  for 
if  I  allot  the  whole  of  my  capital  amongst  my 
friends  in  the  colonies,  what  right  have  they  to  ex- 
pect me  to  run  into  debt  on  their  account?  Yet 
this  is  the  case  exactly  to  the  extent  that  the  retail 
cash  credits  are  exceeded." 


212 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


"  Why  in  the  world  should  I  be  so  foolish  as  to 
fill  my  mind  with  cares  and  troubles,  when  I  might 
live  in  peace  ?  My  resolution  is  taken,  my  corre- 
spondents must  keep  to  their  agreements  with  me, 
or  give  up  their  accounts." 

Perhaps  the  best  mode  of  showing  how  Mr. 
Powell  exemplified  the  great  commercial  virtue  of 
caution  will  be  to  gather  from  his  correspondence 
some  of  his  prudential  principles  and  maxims,  as 
well  as  his  advice  and  incidental  observations  to  his 
friends,  by  whom  he  was  largely  consulted : 

"  Your  account,  though  a  poor  one  this  year,  le 
quite  satisfactory,  as  you  are  steadily  reducing 
stock  and  expenses,  and  this,  I  am  persuaded,  will 
shortly  enable  you  to  send  better  orders  and  remit- 
tances." 

"You  draw  interest  on  your  capital  when  your 
business  is  making  a  loss.  Is  this  wise  ?  Get  your 
book-debts  into  a  narrow  compass." 

"  To  carry  on  a  business  by  drawing  against  bills 
of  lading  at  eight  and  a  half  per  cent.,  will  not  pay." 

"Strike  off  all  retail  customers  who  will  not 
steadily  pay  up  monthly.  Keep  strictly  to  this  rule. 
Apply  the  pruning-knife,  if  you  want  a  liealthy 
business.  Our  friends  in  the  hardware  line  remit 
monthly  with  the  regularity  of  clock-work.  Remit- 
ting a  regular  sum  monthly  can  be  no  worse  for 
either  party  than  remitting  large  sums  occasionally. 
You  lose  people  and  custom  when  they  get  into  your 
debt." 

"  Keep  the  bank  credit  down." 

"Gradually  reduce  your  discount,  etc.     Try  by 


OTHER  BUSINESS  CHARACTERISTICS. 


213 


keeping  a  fourth  of  your  bills  back  for  collection, 
at  first,  and  gradually  increasing  the  number,  to 
reach  as  soon  as  possible  the  point  where  you  will 
have  no  bills  under  discount,  but  all  for  collection." 
He  saw  that  a  commercial  glut  will  be  succeeded 
by  a  revulsion,  as  certainly  as  one  oscillation  of  the 
pendulum  is  balanced  by  another  in  the  opposite 
direction.  "  Those  who  play  the  fine  gentleman  in 
good  times,  will  have  to  change  their  costume  in 
bad  ones."  "  I  expect  you  will  have  great  specula- 
tion, now  the  money-market  is  easy  with  you.  Keep 
close-hauled.  Hard  times  will  follow  the  easy  times. 
Let  those  commit  themselves  to  the  stream  who  like 
to  do  so.  I  have  been  down  quite  far  enough,  and 
have  had  a  good  deal  of  trouble  to  get  back.  One 
struggle  like  1854  is  enough  for  a  lifetime." 

And  yet  bankers,  when  money  is  abundant,  will 
sometimes  lure  on  to  their  confusion  and  undoing 
ambitious  traders,  by  the  offer  of  most  tempting 
advances.  "  Don't  stop  for  want  of  money."  Then 
when  the  leaders  themselves  become  alarmed,  a 
sudden  demand  is  mercilessly  made.  In  vain  the 
victim  cries,  "  Have  patience  with  me."  His  pros- 
pects and  his  religious  influence  fall  together. 

But  to  resume : 

"I  have  never  (since  the  disasters  of  1854)  en- 
gaged in  any  project  unconnected  with  my  own 
legitimate  business,  which,  being  large  and  multi- 
farious, requires  all  the  supervision  and  watchful- 
ness which  my  managers  can  bestow  upon  it  in  my 
absence."  "Although  you  may  think  it  a  simple 
matter  to  discount  a  bill  for  % — ,000,  it,  in  fact,  de« 


214 


UFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


OTHEB  BUSmESS   OHA-KAOTEEISTICS. 


215 


prives  me  of  so  much  capital,  since  my  arrangement 
with  the  bank  is  to  have  a  certain  amount  of  dis- 
count during  my  absence,  an  amount  only  sufficient 
for  my  own  purposes.  Why  do  you  not  build  and 
furnish  gradually  ?  Your  profits  would  soon  supply 
you  with  the  balance   without  extraneous  assist- 


ance. 


JJ 


—  Store. — I  think  the  profit  shown  by  this 
establishment  is  more  apparent  than  real,  for  I  look 
with  great  suspicion  at  the  large  stock  that  has 
accumulated  there.  You  must  put  the  pruning- 
knife  vigorously  to  work.  Half  the  stock  would  be 
ample,  so  accessible  as  the  place  is  now  both  in 
summer  and  winter.  The  montlily  returns  are 
wretchedly  small  for  such  a  stock  and  premises.  I 
look  anxiously  for  a  speedy  reduction." 

His  conscientious  common-sense  kept  him  clear 
of  those  seductive  illusions  which  so  easily  beset 
eager,  sanguine  natures.  Some  tradesmen  take 
pleasure  in  beguiling  themselves  into  an  exagge- 
rated estimate  of  their  prosperity  by  calculating 
their  stock  at  figures  not  much  below  selling  price, 
thus  almost  leaving  out  of  the  account  the  incalcu- 
lable risks  of  business  and  the  working  expenses  of 
the  establishment. 

"  Stock-taking. — Let  nothing  but  real  value  appear 
in  tlie  balance-sheet,  under  rather  than  over  value ; 
the  latter  will  prove  *  vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit.' 
Hea\^  stocks  do  not  increase  sales  as  clearly  as  they 
increase  expenses.  Light  stocks,  combined  with 
light  expenses,  will  win  the  day.  Take  stock  twice 
a  year." 


"  Better  be  understocked  and  weak-handed  than 
have  too  much  of  either.  The  many  failures 
amongst  the  strongest  houses  here,  in  the  course  of 
only  three  weeks,  must  instruct  us  still  further  to 
contract  our  liabilities,  and  keep  all  snug.  So  many 
of  the  knowing  oneshB^e  been  nipped,  I  think  there 
will  be  a  chance  for  the  prudent  ones." 

Mr.  Powell  held  that,  in  the  main,  the  great  nat- 
ural law — survival  of  the  fittest — obtained  in  the 
business  world. 

His  caution  was  specially  directed  against  the 
overstraining  credit.  He  was  careful  not  to  invest 
capital  before  it  was  created.  He  had  a  religious 
dread  of  "  inflation." 

"  I  suspect  that  now  speculators  have  been  fairly 
knocked  down,  some  of  them  forever,  you  will  see 
a  very  marked  improvement  in  all  goods  held  in  the 
colony." 

"  I   read   that  is  going  to  build  ;  if  so,  he 

must  not  owe  us  much." 

"  I  do  not  like  sending  goods  on  speculation,  as  I 
have  certain  and  profitable  employment  for  all  my 
capital." 

"  Do  not,  for  the  sake  of  sustaining  me  well  with 
remittances,  for  one  moment  endanger  your  home 
position  by  drawing  too  close  upon  your  cash  credit. 
Leave  a  margin  for  bad  bills  or  other  contingen- 
cies. 


5J 


"  Your  shipments  are  not  heavy  enough  to  entitle 
you  to  take  your  own  risk.  I  hope  that  the  sad 
losses  3^ou  have  experienced  will  prove  the  richest 
gain.     In  other  words,  let  them  make  you  doubly 


■MM 


I 


216 


LIFE   OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


cautious  and  attentive,  and  break  you  of  the  terribly 
evil  habit,  which  has  cost  me  thousands  of  pounds, 
of  deciding  too  quickly.  When  an  important  mat- 
ter is  pressed  upon  you,  say  that  you  will  think  it 
carefully  over,  and  give  an  answer  the  next  day. 
But  never  let  your  courage  give  way ;  always  *  thank 
God  and  take  courage.' " 

It  is  evident  that  for  his  exemplary  prudence  he 
was  largely  indebted  to  the  discipline  of  experience. 

"  Live  near  your  business  until  you  have  firmly 
established  it." 

*'  We  have  only  half  furnished  our  house,  and  do 
not  intend  furnishing  the  other  half,  till  things 
mend  in  Australia." 

"  Your  not  writing  places  me  in  an  unpleasant 

position,  owing  to 's  having  made  a  shipment 

to  you.  They  came  round  to  me  and  said  that  the 
shipment  exceeded  the  amount  of  the  guarantee, 
and  they  were  unwilling  to  forward  the  goods  unless 
I  extended  the  amount.  I  consented  to  do  so,  on 
condition  that  the  bill  of  lading  was  made  to  order, 

and  forwarded  to  my  firm  at .    I  adopted  this 

course,  because  your  position  was  uncertain ;  and  I 
felt  sure  you  would  not  wish  to  involve  me  beyond 
the  heavy  amount  for  which  I  am  already  responsi- 
ble.    I  have  requested to  give  you  up  the  bill 

of  lading,  on  your  giving  an  acceptance  at  three 
months,  with  ^ve  per  cent,  added,  and  satisfying  him 
that  your  position  is  sound.  Let  me  beg  you,  for 
your  own  sake,  not  to  accept  the  bill  unless  your 
position  is  imdoubted.  What  I  have  done  was  at  a 
risk  without  pix)fit,  and  you  will  not  intentionally 


OTHER  BUSINESS  CUARACTERISTICS. 


217 


injure  me.     will  keep  the  matter  quite  private, 

so  that  your  credit  will  not  be  injured  in  any  way. 
But  keep  up  a  good  heart.  Trust  in  God,  and  do 
what  is  right,  and  you  will  be  helped." 

"  I  hear  that  a  benefit  club  is  started,  and  that  you 
are  one  of  the  trustees.  Mind  that  you  are  not  let 
in  by  bad  management  and  loose  book-keeping. 
The  benefit  club  might  *  go  squash '  some  day,  and 
the  depositors  come  down  upon  the  trustees.  Let 
your  partnership-deed  in  future  exempt  you  from 
such  engagements." 

"  I  was  astonished  at  the  action  of  the  banks  in 
raising  the  interest ;  but  if  the  blow  be  aimed  at 
over-trading,  we  may  not  complain." 

"  December  16th,  1857. — All  the  world  has  been 
going  too  fast.  Although  many  of  the  kites  flown 
were  strong  and  handsome,  and  the  strings  long  and 
stout,  the  gale  has  been  too  severe.  Nothing  but 
money  down  is  believed  in  now." 

In  his  view,  a  little  risk  outweighed  a  great  profit. 

"By  buying  myself,  without  an  agent,  I  might 
save  $20,000  or  $25,000  a  year,  but  with  risk ;  and, 
therefore,  I  shall  not  undertake  it  unless  compelled." 

"  Now  it  is  believed  that  America  will  get  over- 
stocked. There  a  most  speculative  trade  has  been 
going  on  since  the  war  closed.  Prices  there  ai*e 
very  high.  Exchange  has  been  tumbling  down  the 
last  few  weeks,  and  they  will  have  enough  to  do  to 
avoid  a  panic  in  the  foreign  market.  It  is  well, 
therefore,  that  you  are  not  ordering  largely,  and  get- 
ting English  goods  at  from  ten  to  thirty-three  per 
cent,  above  their  usual  price.    We  may  escape  a 

10 


218 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


panic  ;  but  we  sliall  have  a  reaction  in  a  few  months 
without  fail.  I  only  hope  the  good  demand  for 
wool  will  continue,  as  it  will  help  the  colonies 
amazingly.  But  it  is  a  risky  thing,  never  safe  till 
sold." 

"May  16th,  1866.— We  have  experienced  one  of 
the  most  wonderful  panics  ever  witnessed  in  London. 
It  was  like  a  hurricane  for  severity  and  brevity.  On 
the  Stock  Exchange  things  had  been  tending  to- 
wards a  panic,  owing  to  the  general  expectation  of 
a  European  war.  Matters  culminated  last  week 
through  the  failure  of  Overend,  Gurney,  and  Co., 
for  twelve  millions.  The  next  day  people  went 
mad,  and  were  only  brought  to  their  senses  by  the 
Buspension  of  the  Bank  Charter,  by  which  move- 
ment the  Bank  of  England  was  able  to  issue  five  mil- 
lions of  notes  extra.  This  short  storm  swept  down 
several  large  houses,  and  during  its  three  days'  con- 
tinuance advances  could  not  be  obtained  on  the  first 
securities." 

"May  20th,  1866.— If  you  had  seen  London  last 
week,  you  would  have  been  amazed  at  the  madness 
that  can  seize  people  about  money.  It  would  have 
been  a  life-lesson  for  you — not  to  spread  your  arms 
too  wide.  One  large  house  was  knocked  over  be- 
cause it  could  not  get  an  advance  upon  some  of  the 
best  bills  in  London.  If  war  break  out  on  the  Con- 
tinent, I  hardly  know  what  times  we  shall  see.  By 
the  dread  of  war,  thousands  will  be  ruined  ])efore 
the  crisis  is  over." 

"  I  hope  the  crisis  will  have  tlio  effect  of  stopping 
speculative  shipments  tq  the  cploines,  so  as  to  give 


OTHER   BUSINESS   CHARACTERISTICS. 


219 


all  legitimate  importers  a  better  chance.  No  doubt 
the  panic  here  will  cause  the  banks  on  your  side  to 
draw  in ;  so  I  liope  you  will  keep  tight  hold  of  the 
reins,  and  not  have  too  many  local  bills.  Take 
every  advantage  of  the  rising  tide,  and  be  found 
with  light  stocks  when  it  again  ebbs." 

"  My  affairs  are  in  close  compass,  so  that  although 
business  will  be  dull  for  the  next  two  mails— as  usual 
in  the  winter— they  will  be  able  to  send  very  fair 
remittances,  in  consequence  of  the  very  moderate 
engagements  on  the  spot." 

"  Seize  the  right  time  for  modifying  your  business 
with  advantage." 

"  I  have  frequently  felt  that  I  ought  not  to  be  in 
such  a  position  as  makes  me  dependent  to  so  great 
an  extent  on  your  life  and  health,  for  the  guidance 
of  my  large  business  in  the  colony.  If  you  were 
taken  away,  we  should  have  to  depend  on  others  for 
the  practical  working  of  the  business,  and  that 
would  not  suit  us ;  whereas,  if  the  thing  were  in  a 
moderate  and  compact  compass,  I  could  with  judi- 
cious assistance  manage  it  with  ease  and  profit. 
But  even  for  your  immediate  advantage,  it  is  impor- 
tant that  an  alteration  should  take  place." 

He  saw  clearly  that  valor  was  sometimes  the  bet- 
ter part  of  discretion,  and  that  a  retreat  often  re- 
quires as  much  courage  as  an  advance,  and  displays 
as  good  generalship. 

"  I  wish  you  to  take  the  bold  step  of  gradually 

reducing  stock  at  Warehouse  No. ,  by  selling  at 

prices  which  will  move  the  goods  in  large  quanti- 
ties, so  as  to  bring  it  as  nearly  as  possible  to  a  point 


220 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


OTHEK  BUSINESS  CHARACTERISTICS. 


221 


by  the  time  the  lease  is  out.     Furnish and 

with  lists  of  your  surplus  stock.  They  doubt- 
less could  work  off  some.  I  think  this  branch  of 
the  business  may  be  very  well  relinquished.  Many 
of  the  articles,  especially  the  great  staples  of  the 
stock,  are  so  operated  in  by  merchants,  and  form,  at 
all  times,  such  favorite  articles  of  consignment,  that 

very  little  is  got  out  of  them.     store  too  must 

be  brought  to  an  end." 

"  The  premises  I  would  be  prepared  to  sell,  on 
long  credit,  and  at  a  moderate  figure.  The  closing 
of  these  two  stores  will  give  you  $200,000.  The 
immediate  advantage  will  be  saving  interest  on  the 
amount,  rents  of  the  two  premises,  wages,  etc.     You 

should  not  largely  increase  stock  in  the store, 

in  face  of  the  approaching  completion  of  the  rail- 
way, when  carriage  will  be  so  much  reduced." 

"  Let  the  benefit  to  accrue  from  the  vigorous  use 
of  the  pruning-knife  sustain  you.  I  know  it  will 
come  out  all  right  in  the  end.     But  do  not  fall  into 

the  error  of  selling  too  cheaply  in  the  retail; 's 

get  full  fifty  to  seventy-five  per  cent,  net  profit^  on 
all  they  sell.  The  secret  is  to  have  a  well-assorted 
stock  ;  but  have  your  price.  Eetail  terms  in  Lon- 
don are  much  higher  than  with  you,  and  yet  com- 
petition is  greater  and  expenses  less." 

"  You  had  better  buy  small  supplies  on  the  spot, 
as  wanted,  rather  than  incur  the  danger  of  getting 
too  heavy  a  stock.  Keep  a  moderate  stock  by  order- 
ing lightly,  and  buying  a  little  in  the  market  when 
you  run  short.  But  better  run  out  than  have  a 
heavy  stock,  paying  interest.     Your  safety  and  wis- 


dom is  in  sticking  to  the  retail.  In  it  the  profits 
have  been  chiefly  made,  and  will  continue^  to  be, 
while  the  mental  relief  will  be  incalculable.'' 

"  Spare  nothing  that  will  make  the  retail  com- 
plete. Ketail  prices  can  generally  be  kept  up.  At 
any  rate,  in  this  old  London,  prices  are  as  high  as  in 

Melbourne." 

"  Begin  reduction  and  retrenchment  in  good  time, 
that  you  may  do  it  gradually,  and  not  excite  public 
attention  to  the  fact.  At  all  events,  now  take  the 
sensible  and  honest  resolve  to  economize,  although 
it  gives  pain  to  carry  it  out." 

"  Have  nothing  that  would  plague  you  in  times  of 
panic.  You  will  look  upon  business  with  new  eyes 
when  it  is  robbed  of  its  risks,  and  consequently  its 
anxieties.  Credit  customers  insidiously  begin  with 
buying  hundreds,  and  end  with  thousands.  When 
an  account  is  opened,  ask  the  parties  to  what  extent 
they  wish  to  go,  and  keep  them  to  the  amount  agreed 
upon,  which,  with  their  name,  should  be  entered  in 
the  ledger.  Divide  your  risks  as  the  insurance  peo- 
ple do ;  80  that,  in  case  of  a  failure,  you  will  not  be 
much  hurt.  Your  last  year's  balance-sheet  shows 
that  a  business  one  half  the  extent  of  that  which  you 
are  doing,  conducted  with  strict  economy,  would 
have  paid  well,  while  the  unwieldly  business  with 
heavy  expenses  leaves  a  loss." 

"  I  dare  not  take  your  order,  lest  it  should  injure 

both  you  and  me." 

"  Retrenchment  was  a  necessity,  a  duty,  and  there- 
fore to  be  done  fearless  of  consequences.  You 
must  look  at  the  whole  tiling  without  shrinking. 


|{        '! 


222 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


How  every  part  of  the  business  pays  should  be 
Bifted  with  the  greatest  nicety." 

"You  must  take  off  your  jacket  and  go  to  the 
retail.  You  ask,  *  what  will  the  public  think  of  it  ? ' 
The  public  thinks  of  nothing  but  its  own  interest." 

"  In  order  to  make  business  pay,  there  is  nothing 
for  it  but  to  have  moderate  stock  and  small  expen- 


ses. 


"I  am  master  of  the  position  here.  My  business 
does  not  occasion  much  anxiety.  I  only  deal  with 
undoubted  houses ;  and,  as  we  pay  all  cash  for  our 
goods,  no  crisis  can  seriously  affect  us." 

"We  open  no  more  accounts  than  our  capital  will 
warrant,  and  I  shall  not  deviate  from  my  fixed  rule 
of  having  good  evidence  of  the  means  of  a  party  be- 
fore I  take  him  up.  We  always  have  a  statement  of 
affairs  from  each  of  our  correspondents  once  a  year. 
To  this  you  will  not  object,  as  I  am  sure  yours  are 
satisfactory.  There  must  be  mutual  confidence  in 
trade,  and  in  order  to  this,  mutual  candor." 

"Inability  to  remit  with  regularity  results  from 
extending  business  beyond  the  competence  of  your 
capital,  or  ordering  particular  goods  in  quantities 
beyond  the  requirements  of  the  market.  You  thus 
bury  money  in  unsalable  stock,  whilst  you  load  your- 
self with  excessive  interest.  To  extricate  yourself 
from  the  penalties  of  these  two  erroi-s,  you  must  dis- 
pose of  your  branch  stores,  and  adjust  your  orders 
as  closely  as  possible  to  the  state  of  the  market. 
All  speculative  business  must  be  abandoned  at  once. 
Your  business  will,  of  course,  not  be  so  large,  but  it 
will  be  more  lucrative.     With  half  your  past  busi- 


OTHEE   BUSINESS   CIIAEACTEEISTICS. 


223 


ness  done  safely,  you  would  have  been  be  tcr  off 
What  is  the  use  of  doing  a  large  business  that  will 
not  pay  ?  Let  me  urge  you  once  for  all,  if  you  desire 
to  prosper,  resolutely  refuse  business,  unless  it  is 
safe.  Get  things  well  in  hand  for  the  storm ;  all 
your  prudence  will  be  required.  Get  your  business 
into  such  a  form  that  you  can  handle  it  with  ease. 
Large  stocks  have  been  the  bane  of  most  trades  m 
Australia.  Now  you  have  such  rapid  communication 
with  England,  you  certainly  need  not  keep  so  many 

months'  supply." 

"  The  banks  here  are  very  cautious,  so  we  have 
the  comfort  of  knowing  that  there  is  not  much 

inflation." 

"  You  are  wise  in  resolving  not  to  have  a  heavy 
stock,  but  rather  a  business  that  can  be  kept  well  in 
hand.  With  sufficient  capital  at  command,  and  a 
business  that  can  be  easily  handled,  your  progress 
will  be  safer  and  happier  than  with  an  immense 
stock  and  apparently  large  profits.  Business  in 
Australia  can  only  be  conducted  successfully  with 
great  economy.  More  may  be  made  now  in  the 
colonies  by  cutting  off  expenses  than  by  doing  an 
immense  business." 

"  I  have  requested not  to  make  such  large 

shipments  in  one  vessel ;  for  should  the  cargo  get 
damaged,  we  should  be  in  a  pretty  mess  with  fifteen 
or  twenty  thousand  dollai^'  worth  of  damaged  goods 
on  which  we  could  not  claim." 

To  his  junior  partners : 

"  As  an  incentive  to  you  to  proceed  with  great 


224 


LIFE   OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


OTHER  BUSINESS  OHAKACTEEISTICS. 


225 


vigor  in  bringing  our  business  into  a  more  compact 
compass,  I  have  resolved  to  bear  all  the  loss  incurred 

in  winding  up  the  store  and  warehouse  No. 

,  and  will  consider  such  loss  as  so  much  in  re- 

.     duction  of  my  capital,  as  if  you  had  remitted  drafts 
for  the  amount.    The  tide  will  be  turned  before  the 
end  of  the  year,  and  you  will  be  under  easy  sail. 
1  am  not  afraid  of  a  temporary  loss,  when  I  believe 
that  a  greater  subsequent  preponderating  gain  will 
be  the  result.     Do  not  let  any  fear  of  loss  stand  in 
the  way  of  rapid  realization.     This  is  the  only  way 
in  which  you  can  speedily  get  the  business  within 
due  bounds.     What  is  left  will  be  quite  enough  for 
you  to  manage  profitably.    You  must  look  this  boldly 
in  the  face.     We  soon  made  an  end  of  the  timber 
business,  when  we  set  about  it." 

"  I  must  concentrate  my  forces  before  I  spread 
them  again." 

"  You  must  look  out  and  have  only  moderate  stocks 
in  1863;  'times  will  be  tight.'" 

"  Take  the  bold  step  of  gradually  reducing  stock." 

To  a  correspondent : 

"  I  can  readily  imagine  your  anxiety  while  your 
business  grew  so  rapidly  beyond  your  capital.  Whilst 
you  were  worrying  yourself  about  remittances,  I  got 
into  a  fever,  because  I  could  not  execute  your  orders 
so  quickly  as  I  wished.  I  think  the  present  time 
needs  special  caution.  Goods  are  getting  very  dear 
both  here  and  in  America.  I  think  there  will  be  a 
reaction  before  the  end  of  the  year;  and,  in  such  a 
case,  it  would  be  a  pity  for  you  to  have  your  shelves 
filled  with  dear  goodsJ' 


"  The  longer  I  live  the  more  I  am  convinced  that  a 
compact,  economically  managed  business  is  the  most 
profitable.  You  are  wise  in  getting  your  business 
into  such  a  form  that  you  can  handle  it  with  ease. 
Large  stocks  have  been  the  bane  of  most  firms  in 
Australia,  but  now  you  have  such  rapid  communica- 
tion with  England  you  certainly  need  not  keep  so 
many  months'  supply  as  formerly.  Could  you  not 
make  use  of  the  telegraph  wire  from  Galle  when 
goods  run  scarce  ?  Surely,  it  would  be  to  your  ad- 
vantage to  get  nearly  a  month's  start." 

"Our  salesmen  and  porters,  do  they  do  a  good 
day's  work  ?  Is  punctuality  the  order  of  the  day  ? 
Economy  must  be  practised  by  every  man  doing  his 
work.  Is  it  requisite  to  keep  so  large  a  staff,  now 
business  is  likely  to  be  dull  for  many  months  ? " 

"  Have  your  business  thoroughly  under  control, 
by  keeping  light  stocks.  Light  stocks,  with  light 
expenses,  will  win  the  day." 

"  It  showed  great  shallowness  on  the  part  of 

to  be  ready  to  rush  into  such  a  speculation.  If  he 
do  a  few  more  such  things,  he  will  get  on  his  back." 

"  We  open  no  more  accounts  than  agrees  with  our 

capital." 

"  I  am  sorry required  a  renewal.     In  all  such 

cases  I  stipulate  or  plead  for  the  reduction  of  one 
half." 

"  I  wish  to  do  without  letters  of  credit." 

"  I  shall  only  send  a  few ;  for  I  know  the  diffi- 
culty of  selling  with  a  new  name." 

[I860.]—"  I  do  not  desire  to  commence  buying 
here  on  my  own  account.  It  is  rather  dangerous 
10* 


226 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


OTHER  BUSINESS  CHARACTERISTICS. 


227 


work ;  for  if  a  crisis  overtake  the  colony,  or  a  mail 
were  to  be  a  month  overdue,  how  could  I  meet  the 
current  bills?" 

"  I  do  not  think 's  system  of  doing  business 

will  stand.  You  may  depend  upon  it  they  have 
been  buying  too  heavily,  and  must  have  suffered  to 
a  corresponding  degree.  They  give  bills  to  the 
manufacturers  at  six  months,  trusting  to  remittances 
to  meet  tliem.  The  bank  donH  like  their  paper,  and 
when  the  manufacturers  find  it  won't  melt  readily, 
they  will  be  chary  of  taking  it,  unless  they  charge 
great  prices.  Get  your  business  more  compact; 
you  have  only  to  bide  your  time." 

"The   Bank  has   a  curious  directory,  and 

offers per  cent.  I  for  a  sufficient  reason— in  time 

following  the .  Another  evidence  of  its  weak- 
ness is,  that  one  or  two  of  the  trustees  are  likewise 
directors:  as  WinkU  would  say,  *  Suspicious! 
very ! ' " 

"  I  have  stopped  furnishing  my  house,  and  shall 
not  complete  it  till  times  are  better." 

"  London,  G,  Broad  Street  Buildings, 

"  October  23<f,  1861. 
"  I  know  you  are  naturally  prudent,  and  that  your 
efforts  have  been  for  some  time  to  get  things  well  in 
hand  for  the  storm.  I  think  all  your  prudence  will 
be  required  in  the  future,  for  it  is  the  opinion  of 
sagacious  men  here  that  Victoria  will  have  to  pass 
through  a  crisis  to  which  all  others  that  have  been 
will  seem  as  nothing.  It  is  argued  that  when  you 
have  io:pay  $2,500,000  interest  for  your  debt,  instead 


of  receimTig  upwards  of  $5,000,000  per  amium  by 
the  sale  of  your  debentures,  when  by  the  railways 
being  completed  thousands  of  persons  are  thrown 
out  of  employment,  then  it  will  require  master  spir- 
its to  get  you  through  the  storm. 

« It  is  thought  that  a  good  deal  of  this  pressure 
will  come  upon  you  next  winter.     These  surmises 
may  not  be  realized  to  their  full  extent ;  but  you 
must  admit  there  is  a  good  deal  of  truth  in  them. 
To  be  forewarned  is  to  be  forearmed.     All  I  can  say 
is,  keep  your  accounts  well  in  hand ;  watch  them 
with  increased  vigilance ;  have  no  engagements  in 
the  colonies ;  order  merely  for  your  wants ;   keep 
only  a  moderate  stock.     Then  you  will  have  an  ad- 
vantage over  your  competitors.     For  although  busi- 
ness in  the  aggregate  should  materially  decrease, 
yet  yours  will  receive  a  fresh  impetus  from  there 
being  less  competition.      Some  great  houses  will 
collapse  or  withdraw  with  the  pressure,  as  many 
little  ones  have  already." 

Answer  to  an  application  to  open  an  account  with 
a  trader  in  a  new  settlement : 

"  We  are  quite  willing  to  open  an  account  with 
you,  believing  that  in  time  it  will  be  valuable  to 
both  you  and  us  ;  but  we  are  quite  averse  to  com- 
mencing in  a  large  way,  such  as  consigning  you  a 
ship.  It  is  wiser  for  you  to  proceed  gradually, 
strengthening  your  connection  among  the  settlers, 
until  you  could  rely  on  their  support.  In  the  in- 
terim you  should  send  an  order,  at  first  for  about 
five  hundred  pounds'  worth  of  goods,  and  repeat  it 


228 


LIFE  OF  WALTEE  POWELL. 


OTHER  BUSINESS  CHAEACTERISTICS. 


229 


in  six  months.     We  could  then  increase  your  credit 
as  your  business  advances. 

"Let  me  know  whether  you  have  a  bank  that 
would  discount  any  bills  you  might  draw  on  us 
against  wool  by  hypothecating  the  bill  of  lading.  I 
should  like  also  to  have  a  chart  of  your  port,  and, 
in  fact,  every  particular  that  you  can  think  of,  e.gl 
if  you  have  had  any  vessels  direct,  or  is  it  usual  for 
vessels  first  to  touch  at  another  port?  But,  our 
fear  is,  that  sending  you  a  ship  at  once  would  give 
you  a  premature  start.  Eight  months'  residence 
would  hardly  give  you  sufficient  influence  to  load 
a  vessel.  You  had  better  let  the  thing  grow  for  a 
year. 

"  In  the  mean  time,  you  might  ascertain  and  send 
us  word,  by  return  mail,  what  quantity  of  wool  will 
be  grown  in  your  neigliborliood ;  wliether  any  of 
the  settlers  would  support  you  if  a  ship  were  sent ; 
and  to  what  extent  and  what  advance  they  requu-e 
on  their  wool.     (The  rule  is,  I  believe,  if  wool  is 
worth  one  shilling  and  sixpence,  to  advance  one 
shilling.)     If  you  took  a  tour  amongst  the  settlers, 
you  could  soon  ascertain  all  that  I   have  written 
about.    Many  of  them  probably  would  be  inclined 
to  support  you  if  there  were  a  probability  of  your 
getting  a  vessel  direct.     I  should  advise  you  to  draw 
up  two  indents— one  for  us  to  execute  under  any 
circumstances,  the  other  in  the  event  of  a  ship  com- 
ing direct  to  you,  as,  in  the  latter  case,  you  would 
order  bulky  articles  for  the  purpose  of  influencing  a 
consignment.     Keep  to  useful,  every-day  goods,  and 
you  cannot  be  hurt.     We  buy  goods  of  every  descrip- 


tion, and  are  conversant  with  the  best  markets.  We 
buy  wholly  for  cash,  giving  our  correspondents  all 
the  discounts  we  obtain.  You  may  depend  upon 
the  interest  being  moderate,  and  such  as  would  en- 
able you  to  compete  with  your  neighbors." 

He  saw  that  push  and  energy  on  the  one  hand, 
and  caution  and  judgment  on  the  other,  might  be 
thoroughly  harmonized.  But  he  never  regarded 
himself  as  having  attained  perfection  in  this  matter. 
He  writes  to  his  manager :  "  I  do  not  wish  you  to 
relax  your  caution,  but  the  satisfaction  you  manifest 
as  to  our  style  of  doing  business,  may,  I  think,  with 
safety  be  abated.  Our  business  is  not  a  model  bus- 
iness. Although  presenting  some  good  features,  it 
is  capable  of  great  expansion  witli  push  and  energy. 
There  is  danger  in  being  too  satisfied  with  things 
as  they  are.  When  this  is  the  case,  little  progress 
can  be  made.  Do  not  fall  into  the  error  of  think- 
ing that  our  business  is  perfect." 


CHAPTER  XYII. 

BUSIIO:SS    CHARACTERISTICS,    CONTINUED. —  FRUGALITY, 
FAIRNESS,    CONTENTMENT,    AND     MODERATION. 

Mr.  Powell  acted  on  the  principle  that  an  un- 
selfish frugality  is  noble.  Before  marriage,  notwith- 
standing the  smallness  of  his  income,  and  his  sys- 
tematic liberality,  he  had  saved  enough  money  to 
purchase  the  house  in  which  he  lived,  and  to  have 
laid  by  what  in  his  position  amounted  to  a  very  con- 
siderable sum.  The  like  virtue  he  insisted  on  in 
the  case  of  every  one  in  whose  prospects  he  took 
especial  interest.  For  example,  he  writes  to  a  young 
man:  "I  will  add  $250  to  eveiy  $500  you  have 
saved  by  the  time  you  are  twenty-eight ;  but  if  you 
do  not  depend  upon  yourself,  you  shall  not  depend 
upon  me.  That  would  destroy  all  3'our  energy  and 
make  you  worthless." 

Frugality  w^as  with  him  a  matter  of  personal 
honor  and  self-respect  as  well  as  of  common  moral- 
ity. His  maxim  was,  "  Whoever  exceeds  his  income 
is  a  thief."  But  he  resolutely  kept  within  his  in- 
come. He  confesses,  "  The  feeling  of  being  hard 
up  I  never  could  stand." 

For  the  first  three  years  of  married  life  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Powell  lived  on  $750  a  year. 

On  this  subject  he  writes  to  a  young  friend : 

"  You  must  not  only  keep  out  of  debt,  but  must 


BUSINESS   CHARACTERISTICS,   CONTINUED.  231 

resolve  to  save.  Put  something  by  every  year,  how- 
ever  small  a  sum.  You  will  then  find  how  pleasant 
it  is  to  have  something  of  your  own." 

"  H  the  being  a  volunteer  lead  you  into  expenses 
which  you  cannot  afford,  you  must  give  up  being  a 

volunteer."  .  . 

But  his   fairness  was  scrupulous  and  sensitive. 
He  detested  what  he  calls  "the  abominable  cut- 
throat system."     He  was  wont  to  take   the   most 
trustworthy  and  impartial  advice  within  his  reach 
as  to  the  fairest  mode  of  adjusting  claims,  and  was 
careful  to  start  with  terms  which  would  not  need 
future  alterations  or  discussions— a  great  saving  of 
time  and  friction  this.     He  brought  an  unsophisti- 
cated conscience  as  well  as  a  keen  intelligence  to 
the  study  of  business  relations.    His  was  not  "  the 
rigid  right  that  hardens  into  wrong ; "  e.g.,  "  I  will 
not  go  into  the  indirect  loss  the  laying  out  of  so 
large  an  amount  has  caused  me."     "  As  to  the  dis- 
puted point  of  commission,  I  shall  yield  it  in  your 
favor— not  to  your  arguments,  the  force  of  which  I 
cannot  recognize,  but  because  trade  has  been  against 
you.     But  you  should  not  endeavor  to  evade  reason- 
able charges  by  fallacious  arguments." 

"  In  consideration  of  your  last  hard  year  we  will 

reduce  the  interest." 

"  I  am  very  glad  you  have  settled  amicably  with 

.     He  was  much  to  blame,  but  I  did  not  like  to 

quarrel  with  such  an  old  acquaintance." 

"  I  shall  simply  put  you  on  the  faith  of  honest 
Christian  men  to  do  justice  to  me  in  these  valuations. 
I  do  not  wish  a  third  party  to  intervene." 


232 


LIFE   OF   WALTEE  POWELL. 


His  tlioiightf  Illness  and  consideration  towards  his 
employes  were  beautiful.     To  his  managers :  ''  I  fear 
you  have  been  sadly  overworked ;  however,  I  know 
that  you  have  a  cheerful  spirit  and  plenty  of  pluck." 
He  laid  down  this  rule,  and  adhered  to  it  throuirh- 
out:   "Make  your  envphyes  comfortable  from  tlie 
first.      It  is  this   tliat  gains   their  affections,  and 
devotes  them  to  your  service."     It  is  refreshing  to 
observe  the  relations  of  perfect  friendship  which 
subsisted  between  him  and  the  two  hif^hlv  estimable 
young  men  who  managed  his  various  businesses  in 
Victoria,   and   subsequently   became   his   partners. 
There  was  a  familiarity  which  did  not  breed  con- 
tempt, which  did  not  destroy  or  even  dilute  the  due 
respect  of   subordinates  for  their  principal.      Ilis 
voluminous  letters  to  them,  dealing  with  the  minut- 
est details  of  business,  are  as  confidential  and  cor- 
dial as  if  they  were  his  brothers,  as  affectionate  and 
regardful  as  if  they  were  his  own  sons  that  served 
him.     "  I  write  to  both  of  you,  as  this  makes  the 
correspondence  more  pleasing  and  definite  ;  so  you 
must  read  each  other's  letters,  and  each  reply  to  his 
own."    Nor  did  he  let  kind  words  serve  instead  of 
kind  acts.     lie  gave  them  very  handsome  substan-. 
tial  proofs  of  his  appreciation  of  their  ability,  fidel- 
ity, and  good-will.     And  he  had  his  reward.     To  a 
friend :  "  My  business  is  being  managed  in  first-rate 
style  during  my  absence,  and  I  expect  will  pay  a 
large  profit  during  this  year."     To  his  managers: 
"  The  very  full  reports  you  send  me  enable  me  very 
accurately  to  judge  of  the  business.     You  may  be 
sure  nothing  escapes  me."     In  short,  the  fine  rela- 


BUSINESS   CnARACTERISTICS,   CONTINUED.  233 

tions  between  him  and  those  whom  he  employed 
were  highly  creditable  to  both  parties.  The  follow- 
ing letter  to  a  friend  casts  light  upon  his  own  pro- 
cedure. "  Do  as  I  have  done.  Train  up  one  or 
two  young  men  of  sound  moral  and  religious  prin- 
ciples to  your  business,  give  them  a  small  share  of 
your  profits,  and  let  them  know  that  their  prospects 
in  life  depend  upon  their  good  conduct.  Let  them 
feel  the  responsibility  of  the  business  while  you  are 
there,  so  that  you  do  not  leave  untried  men  behind 
you.     Wliy,  I  have  half  a  dozen  deserving  young 

men  now  in  my establishment  that  I  would  not 

hesitate  at  once  to  take  in  as  partners,  provided  I 
required  them.  They  all  know  that  I  feel  an  inter- 
est in  them,  and  they  feel  an  interest  in  me.  This 
plan  would  wonderfully  relieve  you  ;  it  would  take 
off  the  pressure  from  yourself,  and  they  would  take 
delight  in  their  new  powers.     If  you  have  no  one 

you  can  trust,  let  me  name  two  in  my firm 

that  would  serve  you  admirably.  They  would  be 
diligent,  conscientious,  and  honest  as  the  day ;  and 
after  two  yeare'  training  would  take  the  entire  work 
off  your  hands,  and  leave  you  a  free  man.  You  will 
find  that  the  great  pleasure  of  business  is,  the  not 
beiuij  a  slave  to  it.  Be  a  master,  and  have  author- 
ity  over  those  that  can  do  all  the  work." 

To  a  young  man  the  prospect  of  making  alto- 
gether his  own,  in  a  few  years,  a  business  which  has 
cost  an  immensity  of  thought  and  labor  to  get  to- 
gether, is  no  light  matter. 

For  all  Mr.  Powell's  dealings  with  those  in  his 
employ,  I  know  no  term  so  applicable  as  the  word 


234 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


11    I' 


i 


Jiandsome.     Sentences  like  the  following  occur  in 

minute  and   lengthy   business  letters:  "Mrs.  

writes  that is  growing  weak,  and  his  appetite 

failing.     Perhaps  his  present  situation  is  too  con- 
fining; could  you  not  place  him  at  ?"     Yet 

his  gentleness   never  degenerated   into  weakness; 

^'9->  " will  require  kind  and  patient  treatment. 

But  if  remonstrances  fail,  there  is  no  alternative  but 
to  let  him  go." 

lie  would  moderate  the  application  to  business  of 
those  whom  he  saw  to  be  in  danger,  either  from 
temperament,  or  desire  of  promotion,  of  overworking 
themselves  in  his  service. 

His  fairness  and  moderation  were  universal— to 
his  employes^    to   manufacturers,   to   customers,   to 
everybody.     We  have  seen  that  he  would  insist  upon 
every  clear  claim  which  his  large  orders  and  prompt 
payments  gave  him  on  prosperous  firms.     He  knew 
that  not  only  "he  that  oppresseth  the  poor  to  in- 
crease his  riches,"  but  also  "he  that  giveth  to  the 
rich  shall  surely  come  to  want."     (Prov.  xxii.  16.) 
To  forego  trade-rights  in  favor  of  money-making 
houses,  would  have  brought  upon  him  this  personal 
guilt  and  providential  liability.     On  this  matter  he 
was  positive  and  pertinacious.     He  did  not  regard 
business  transactions  with  well-to-do  gentlemen  as 
tlie  true  sphere  for  generosity.     Hence,  some  thought 
him  hard  and  unyielding.     But  all  this  was  only  a 
part  of  his  clear-headed  conscientiousness. 

"  I  find intend  coolly  throwing  us  over,  after 

having  availed    themselves  of    our  advice.      We 
thought  we  had  to  wait  too  long  for  our  remittances, 


BUSINESS   CHAKACTEEISTICS,   CONTINUED.  235 

and  having  proposed  that  they  should  remit  more 
sharply,  they  are  now  trying  to  do  without  us.  We 
have  no  feeling  in  the  matter,  beyond  a  determina- 
tion to  protect  our  own  interests  in  such  cases.  In 
fact,  we  think  they  have  only  acted  without  suffi- 
cient reflection,  as  they  have  previously  always 
behaved  in  the  most  honorable   and  gentlemanly 

manner. 

^  As  to  doing  business  with  you  to  the  amount  of 
$125,000  per  annum,  I  am  unwilling  to  bind  myself 
down  to  any  sum  ;  but  am  willing  that  it  should  be 
understood,  that  if  in  twelve  months  from  the  time 
that  terms  are  agreed  on,  it  is  the  wish  of  either 
party  that  business  relations  between  us  should 
cease,  a  notice  to  that  effect  shall  be  sufficient.  I 
think  also,  that  since  my  London  agents  give  me 
credit  for  the  fifteen  per  cent,  allowed  upon  insur- 
ance, you  should  do  the  same.  Should  you  see  fit 
to  consent  to  these  alterations  in  your  proposed 
terms,  please  to  state  the  terms  (so  altered)  distinctly 
in  your  reply,  and  note  that  the  eight  per  cent, 
mentioned  in  your  former  letter  is  eight  per  cent. 

As  instances  of  Mr.  Powell's  moderation  and  fair- 
ness, I  may  give  the  following  extracts  from  his 
correspondence : 

Answer  to  an  application  from  a  friend  to  select 
and  send  out  an  agent  to  Australia  : 

"As  regards  any  trouble  you  may  give  in  commis- 
sions of  this  kind,  that  I  do  not  think  of.  I  am 
well  pleased  to  do  anything  that  may  promote  your 
interest  or  comfort.     What  I  do  not  like  is  the 


II 


236 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


BUSINESS  CHAEACTERISTICS,   CONTINUED. 


237 


I  1 


res^onsihility.  If  I  send  out  a  man  who  does  not 
suit  you,  it  is  harder  for  the  man  than  for  you,  if  I 
take  him  away  from  a  situation  whicli  he  fills  with 
satisfaction  to  his  employers,  and  where  his  chance 
of  promotion  is  good.  In  such  a  case  you  are 
annoyed,  but  he  has  his  prospects  in  life  clouded. 
It  is  a  hard  matter  for  both  of  you.  I  am  willing, 
however,  to  proceed,  if  you  are  prepared  to  run  all 
risks.  Now,  as  to  the  young  man  whose  credentials 
I  sent  you.  He  is  now  in  a  good  situation.  If  I 
engage  him,  lie  intends  to  get  married.  Here  he  at 
once  incurs  two  grave  responsibilities;  and  how 
would  he  feel,  if  on  arriving  he  found  he  did  not 
suit?  Clever  men  are  as  scarce  here  as  in  the 
colony.  Muffs  are  to  be  had  in  countless  thousands. 
There  is  as  brilliant  a  field  for  a  man  of  real  ability 
here  as  anvwhere." 

"  The  requisite  qualifications  in  a  good  and  ready 
salesman  are,  in  addition  to  a  thorough  knowledge 
of  the  business,  insight  into  character,  cool  temper, 
activity,  obligingness,  and  plenty  of  tact  and  push, 
and,  above  all,  high  honor  and  sound  religious 
principles,  and  consequently  sol)riety.  With  such  a 
man  you  will  not  grudge  an  extra  $250." 

"  You  must  remember  it  takes  some  time  to 
develop  a  man's  energies  in  a  new  position.  Men 
are  not  thrown  on  their  own  resources  in  England 
as  in  the  colony  ;  there  is  so  much  division  of  labor 
in  Enirland,  that  the  administrative  faculties  are  not 
brought  out.  A  g(X)d  managing  man  is  consequently 
as  highly  valued  here  as  in  the  colony." 

"  Your  names  have  been  favorably  mentioned  to 


me,  but  I  thought  the  fact  of  your  services  being  so 

largely  devoted  to would  prevent  your  serving 

a  competing  house.  I  am  afraid  our  interests  would 
clasli,  and  should  be  sorry  to  be  brought  into  colli- 
sion with  a  firm  I  so  highly  respect." 

"Your  orders  are  put  in  hand  with  the  greatest 
celerity ;  but  order  no  more  than  you  want.  I  had 
rather  your  account  paid  me  badly  than  that  you 
should  fill  up  your  shelves  with  dear  stock." 

"  I  am  desirous  that  you  should  be  cognizant  of 
every  penny  we  make  out  of  your  account. 

"You  are  aware  that  when  you  opened  your 
account  I  was  to  charge  you  five  per  cent,  on  all  the 
goods  you  ordered.  I  have  not  done  so  up  to  the 
present,  as  the  goods  have  come  to  a  bad  market. 

"I  am  unwilling   that  I   should    guarantee   the 

account,  whilst have  all  the  profit.     I  do  not 

wish  to  deprive  them  of  any  business,  but  I  think 
my  view  of  the  case  a  fair  one." 

Mr.  Powell  never  attempted  to  injure  a  com- 
petitor, though  he  did  strive  to  distance  all  in  efli- 
cient  service  of  the  public.     He  writes :  "  Fiery  little 

is  disposed  to  lose  a  few  hundreds,  all  for  the 

honor  and  glory  of  driving 's  article  out  of  the 

field.     I  shall  not  make  a  peimy  difference." 

One  of  Mr.  Powell's  finest  and  rarest  business 
qualities,  when  viewed  in  connection  with  his  energy 
and  astuteness,  was  his  moderation  in  the  pursuit  of 
wealth.  He  was  as  little  depressed  by  a  break  in 
the  continuity  of  his  success  as  over-elated  by  a  long 
run  of  prospei-ity. 

In  reply  to   the  intelligence  of  an  unfavorable 


238 


LIFE  OF   WALTEE  POWELL. 


'%m 


Btock-taking  he  writes :  "  After  I  saw  the  amount 
of  the  expenses  cliargeable  to  the  business,  I  judged 
they  would  exceed  the  very  low  profits  you  have 
been  compelled  to  accept.  It  is  of  no  use  to  be 
downhearted,  or  to  attribute  the  result  to  causes 
not  clearly  apparent;  enough  has  been  shown  to 
prove  where  the  real  evil  exists.  You  must  attack 
the  evil  with  courage  and  patience.  To  place  the 
business  on  such  a  basis  as  will  require  no  further 
alteration  is  worth  all  the  energy  and  ability  you 
can  throw  into  the  fight."  He  then  writes  to  the 
Eev.  D.  J.  Draper :  "  As  I  have  no  profits  out  of 
which  to  give,  I  must  see  what  I  can  afford,  not- 
withstanding my  losses." 

To  another  correspondent : 

"  $2,500  a  year  with  peace  is  better  than  $50,000 
with  care.  I  want  to  keep  body  and  soul  clear  of 
care,  that  I  may  the  better  prepare  for  my  eternal 

home." 

Mr.  Poweirs  moderation  was,  humanly  speaking, 
his  mercantile  salvation.  The  times  when  pros- 
perity began  to  fiow  in  upon  him  were  abnormal 
and  seductive.  The  immediate  demand  was  im- 
mense, the  profits  of  trade  were  proportionately 
large.  His  distance  from  liis  base,  so  to  speak,  seri- 
ously endangered  his  position.  Before  an  order  up- 
on firms  in  England,  no  larger  than  the  then  present 
and  pressing  public  wants  would  justify,  or  even 
necessitate,  could  be  executed  at  Melbourne,  the  de- 
mand might  suddenly  contract,  so  as  to  throw  upon 
his  hands  a  huge  shipment  of    unsalable  goods. 


BUSINESS   CHAKACTEEISTICS,   CONTINUED.  239 

Several  of  his  compeers  and  competitors  were  thus 
sacrificed  to  sudden  success. 

Another  branch  of  Mr.  Powell's  wise  moderation 
was  his  contenting  himself  with  his  own  proper  busi- 
ness, and  never  dabbling  in  what  he  did  not  under- 
stand, or  committing  himself  to  any  of  those  costly 
and  precarious  undertakings  which  ruin  ten  fami- 
lies to  enrich  one.  He  thus  secured  for  himself  the 
full  advantage  of  experience.  Many  a  clever  and 
honest-hearted  man  has  jpierced  himself  through 
with  many  sorrows,  by  distracting  his  attention  and 
dissipating  his  energies.  Security  should  be  the 
paramount  consideration  with  a  Christian  in  the  in- 
vestment of  his  money  ;  to  this,  largeness  of  return 
should  be  distinctly  secondary. 

Mr.  Powell  denounced  all  risky  speculations  on 
the  part  of  his  friends  with  stern  fidelity  and  cutting 
conciseness ;  e.g. — 

*'  You  thought  you  knew  a  ready  way  to  get  rich, 
and  launched  into  the  destructive  sea  of  specula- 
tion. How  could  I  trust  or  respect  one  who  gam- 
bles, staking  his  all :  dissatisfied  with  the  slow  but 
sure  way  of  succeeding  ?  '  He  that  maheth  Jiaste  to 
he  rich  shall  not  he  innocent?  The  greatest  mercy 
that  God  has  shown  you  is  that  He  has  taken  from 
you  the  means  of  gambling,  or  you  might,  had  you 
succeeded,  have  been  a  gambler  all  your  days.  The 
money  that  is  best  earned  will  do  you  most  good.  If 
you  are  dissatisfied  with  such  rewards  as  God  gives 
to  the  patiently  industrious,  and  are  seeking  some 
rapid  mode  of  acquiring  wealth,  you  must  take  the 
consequence — probably  disgrace  and  poverty.     You 


240 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


BUSINESS   CnAKACTEEISTICS,   CONTINUED.  241 


have  nothing  left  now  hut  to  repent.  You  cannot 
serve  God  and  Mammon  :  you  cannot,  without  hlas- 
phemous  falsehood,  call  yourself  a  Christian,  if 
you  conduct  business  on  the  principles  of  heathen- 
ism." 

To  another  friend : 

"Extending  your  business  too  rapidly  occasions 
you  all  this  trouble,  anxiety,  harass,  and  annoyance. 
It  redoubles  your  work,  and  after  all  issues  rather 
in  loss  than  profit.  What  can  be  the  use  of  business 
of  this  kind  ?  It  allows  no  time  for  reading  or  rec- 
reation, and  sets  up  and  keeps  up  a  restless  excite- 
ment, that  weai-s  out  body  and  mind  before  the  time. 
Let  me  urge  you  to  reflect  and  act  reasonably.  Do 
not  lose  your  courage  or  your  cheerfulness.  Put 
your  whole  trust  in  God,  and  ask  for  the  assistance 
of  His  Spirit  through  Christ ;  but  resolve,  at  the 
same  time,  to  bring  your  business  within  the  limits 
of  your  capital." 

Mr.  Powell  believed  and  acted  on  the  belief  that 
— leaving  out  of  view  cases  of  very  exceptional 
calamity — the  laws  of  success  in  business  are  as  fixed 
and  reliable  as  any  other  laws.  He  records  his  de- 
liberate conviction  that,  "No  man  can  conduct  a 
business  well,,  without  succeeding  in  the  long  run." 

His  success  was  in  the  face  of  strong  competition. 
He  writes  in  1857: 

"  There  are  now  twenty-two  ironmongei-s  in  Mel- 
bourne, but  although  the  number  has  greatly  in- 
creased this  year,  my  business  not  only  keeps  up, 
but  shows  at  the  end  of  the  half  year  nearly  $7,500 
more  than  at  the  same  period  last  .     This  is 


something  to  say  in  the  face  of 


— ,  who  are  im- 
porting  at  the  rate  of  $50,000  to  §60,000  a  month. 

To  know  when  to  retire  from  business,  and  how 
to  retire,  requires  great  judgment.     It  is  as  gmve  a 
blunder  to  retreat  too  soon  as  to  hold  on  too  long ; 
to  withdraw  too  suddenly  as  to  linger  too  tenaciously. 
Unless  warned   away  from  business  by  declinmg 
health,  or  drawn  by  such  a  love  of  Christian  toil  as 
amounts  to  a  "call,"  it  is  a  serious  mistake  to  retire 
on  a  bare  competence.     It  is  well  to  retreat  from 
business  "  before  we  yet  discern  life's  evening  star, 
if  two  main  points  are  secured :  first,  ample  re- 
sources for  a  rate  of  giving,  proportioned  to  the  style 
of  living  adopted,  and  the  position  occupied ;  sec- 
ond, some  healthy  and  useful  occupation,  which  can 
be  followed  con  amove.     If  the  former  proviso  be 
neglected,  the  necessarily  small  contributions  of  the 
ir^pendent  gentleman  will  tend  to  lower  the  stand- 
ard of  giving  in  his  church  and  neighborhood.     If 
the  latter  be'  lost  sight  of,  the  misery  ensues  which 
Cowper  has  so  well  depicted : 

"'Tis  easy  to  resign  a  toilsome  place, 
But  not  to  manage  leisure  with  a  grace  ; 
Absence  of  occupation  is  not  rest, 
A  mind  quite  vacant  is  a  mind  distressed. — 
He  proves — 
A  life  of  ease  a  difficult  pursuit." 

As  Mr.  Powell  died  in  the  prime  of  life,  his  views 
on  this  subject  can  only  be  gathered  from  his  lettere 
to  his  friends : 

"Suppose  you  closed  your  business,  you  would 
find  that  twelve  or  eighteen  months'  travelling 
11 


242 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


would  give  you  a  surfeit,  and  you  would  miss  your 
old  occupation.  But,  by  training  a  couple  of  young 
men  thoroughly,  which  could  be  done  in  eighteen 
months,  you  would  be  free  to  see  all  Europe  and 
America,  and  then  you  would  return  with  great  zest. 
The  yoke  having  been  on  your  partners  for  so  long 
a  period,  you  could  lead  a  very  comfortable  life, 
having  simply  to  give  oversiglit  and  advice.  Give 
these  suggestions  careful  thought,  and  get  free  from 
the  notion  that  held  me  in  chains  for  many  years — 
that  I  must  do  everything  myself.  Gradually  place 
the  weight  on  other  shoulders.  The  secret  of  find- 
ing good  partners  is  training  them;  and  letting 
them  have  a  large  share  of  tlie  management,  whilst 
you  are  on  the  spot.  You  will  then  see  if  they  are 
up  to  the  mark ;  and  if  they  work  well  then,  they 
will  not  disappoint  you  when  your  back  is  turned. 
As  an  additional  precaution,  when  you  leave  for 
your  grand  tour,  you  might  give  any  old  and  tried 
friend  a  power  of  attorney,  to  be  used  judiciously 
in  case  of  emergency.  The  knowledge  that  a  third 
party  had  power  to  interfere  if  anything  went 
wrong  would  exercise  a  salutary  restraint." 

"  If  I  were  you,  I  should  let  the  full  weight  of 
management  fall  upon  your  two  intended  partners 
some  months  before  you  leave,  that  they  may  get 
trained  to  the  work  under  your  own  eye." 

To  a  friend  who  consulted  him  as  to  the  pro- 
priety of  retiring  from  business  : 

"You  cannot  too  carefully  weigh  this  question, 
nor  too  earnestly  ask  tlie  wisdom  which  cometh  from 
above.     If  you  are  fully  satisfied  that  under  all 


BUSINESS   CHAKACTEKISTICS,    CONTINUED.  243 

contingencies  you  have  ample  means,  and  are  con- 
vinced that  you  can  fill  up  your  leisure  life  usefully, 
I  think  you  wise  in  getting  rid  of  your  burden." 

To  another  friend,  who  proposed  a  premature 
retirement  from  business,  he  gives   the  following 

advice: 

"  In  commercial  life  you  have  as  many  opportu- 
nities of  doing  good  as  in  other  spheres ;  and  we 
are  neither  of  us  young  enough  to  serve  an  appren- 
ticeship to  anything  else,  and  yet  we  cannot  be  idle. 
1  should  strenuously  recommend  you  not  to  wind 

up  your business,  but  do  as  I  have  done,  train 

up  young  men  to  relieve  you  gradually." 

"Taking  in  a  thoroughly  good  partner  affords 
incalculable  relief.  It  also  prevents  the  sudden 
and  complete  break-up  of  a  business  in  the  event  of 
death.  To  take  in  a  partner  with  power  of  dismis- 
sal is  a  duty  you  owe  to  your  family ;  for,  if  death 
should  overtake  you,  your  business  would  be  closed." 

To  a  friend  whose  worldly  position  had  been 
lowered  by  the  misconduct  of  others : 

"  I  feel  ver}^  sorry  such  misfortune  has  fallen  to 
your  lot;  but  am  heartily  glad  you  have  had  the 
sense  to  face  3'our  difticulties  manfully,  and  hope 
your  courage  will  bring  you  through.  Struggles 
such  as  you  are  undergoing  are  the  best  cement  for 
married  life,  and  will  more  attach  you  to  each 
other,  if  you  help  each  other,  than  if  you  had  lived 
from  the  commencement  to  the  end  in  the  greatest 
luxury.  Now  you  have  commenced  tlie  business, 
go  thoroughly  into  it.  Do  not  be  ashamed  of  an 
honest  business  that  is  supporting  you.     And  make 


244 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


J 


,* 


it  honorable  by  your  Christian  conduct.  Acknowl- 
edge God  in  all  your  ways,  and  lie  will  direct  your 
steps.  Be  more  than  ever  a  man  of  prayer,  and 
your  way  will  open." 

What  a  noble  thing  is  trade,  when  conducted  by 
a  noble  man,  in  a  noble  way,  and  for  noble  ends ! 
What  a  sphere  does  it  throw  open  to  intelligence, 
energy,  and  Christian  virtue !  What  a  fine  piii-suit 
is  commerce — business — money-making  in  the  hands 
of  a  sensible,  conscientious,  and  believing  man! 
How  contemptibly  inert  are  the  flutterings  of 
fashion,  the  forced  and  feeble  excitements  of  pleas- 
ure-seeking,  compared  with  the  brisk,  resolute,  pa- 
tient, wakeful  activity  of  a  thorough  business  man ! 
Such  a  man  was  he  whose  characteristics  I  have 
sketched.  The  sedulous  boy-clerk,  in  high-toned 
health,  abandoning  his  forest  freedom,  and  chained 
by  a  generous  purpose  to  his  desk,  in  a  dim  and 
dingy  office ;  the  ailing  young  man,  with  shattered 
constitution  and  small  salary,  devoting  himself 
steadily  to  his  master's  interest,  slaving,  saving, 
"  hoping  all  things,  enduring  all  things ;  "  the  young 
husband,  resolved  to  make  one  bold,  but  well-con- 
sidered effort  for  the  indei)endence  and  comfort  of 
his  wife  and  children,  giving  up  his  situation,  sell- 
ing his  house,  spending  all  his  savings,  to  secure 
wiiat  he  saw  was  his  only  chance  of  ultimate  suc- 
cess— a  connection  with  some  first-class  firm  at  the 
other  side  of  the  globe;  the  single-handed  store- 
keeper in  a  crude  township,  straining  all  liis  ener- 
gies day  after  day  to  support  those  who  were  de- 
pendent upon  him,  achieving  "  social  success  in  his 


BUSINESS   CnAEACTERISTICS,   CONTINUED.  245 

shirt-sleeves,"  till  inundated  with  an  unimaginable 
influx  of  custom  through  the  rush  to  the  gold-fields; 
the  large  importer,  selecting  and  training  and  at- 
tacliing  to  his  interest  and  his  personal  character 
agents  to  whom  he  could  quietly  confide  his  busi- 
ness for  a  year  and  a  half,  whilst  lie  was  making 
himself  master  of  the  art  and  mystery  of  British 
trading,   and   visiting   America  with  the    view   of 
establishing  safe  and  profitable  relations  with  some 
honorable  house  in  its  great   commercial   centres; 
the  London  merchant,  the  city  man,  the  principal 
of  a  large  mercantile  establishment,  conducting  its 
wide-spread    and   multifarious    details   vigorously, 
honorably,  and   successfully,   yet,   with  head   and 
heart  above  the  world,  living  in  the  region  of  un- 
seen and  eternal  realities,  putting  the  interests  of 
Christ's  kingdom  in  the  forefront  of  his  commercial 
calculations,  not  waiting  till  he  had  made  his  for- 
tune, but  giving  thousands  of  pounds,  year  by  year, 
in   quiet  alms-deeds,  and  to  bold  evangelistic  and 
educational   enterprises,  sedulously  cultivating  his 
mental  powers,  fitting  himself   for  service  in  the 
Church  and  in  the  secular  society,  accepting  Church 
cares,  and   discharging  Church   duties,  keenly   in- 
terested in  all  human  affairs,  yet  proving  that  "  to 
be  spiritually-minded  is  life  and  peace."     Surely 
such  a  man  vindicates  the  nobility  and  sanctity  of 
trade  I 


HIS   CONSECRATION   OF   HIS   WEALTH. 


247 


CHAPTER  XYIIL 

HIS   CONSECRATION   OF   HIS   WEALTH   TO   CHRISTIAN 

BENEVOLENCE. 

The  man  wlio  dedicates  to  God  that  which  he  has 
obtained  by  covetous  practices,  by  double  dealing, 
untruthfulness,  trickery,  bad  bargaining,  a  cruel  use 
of  capital,  gambling  and  God-tempting  specula- 
tion, or  an  eager  pursuit  of  wealth  to  the  neglect  of 
spiritual,  mental,  and  bodily  health,  is  offering  God 
the  reward  of  iniquity,  tlie  wages  of  unrighteous- 
ness, or  casting  into  the  Lord's  treasury  the  price  of 
blood.  The  Popish  princes,  who  founded  abbeys 
and  endowed  churches  with  the  acquisitions  of  ra- 
pine and  of  murder,  were  but  endeavoring  to  make 
God  an  accomplice,  or  accessory  after  the  fact,  to 
the  violation  of  His  own  holiest  laws— and  how 
much  better  is  the  Protestant  merchant  or  banker, 
who  builds  churches  or  chapels,  founds  and  endows 
colleges  and  seminaries,  or  hands  over  to  e\'angeli- 
cal  enterprises  sums  acquired  by  unchristian  prac- 
tices. In  order  to  the  hallowing  of  trade,  two 
things  at  least  are  indispensable : 

1.  That  the  pui-suit  of  property  be  entirely  subor- 
dinate and  subservient  to  the  pursuit  of  piety,  and 
that  all  our  commercial  virtues  flow  out  of  spiritual- 
mindedness,   and   a  regard  to   the  will  of    God. 


2.  That  in  the  acquisition  of  property,  absolute 
truthfulness  and  unfaltering  fairness  and  modera- 
tion be  religiously  maintained. 

Both  these  conditions  Mr.  Powell  had  fulfilled, 
and  could  tlierefore  rightfully  dedicate  his  substance 

to  the  Lord. 

Immediately  upon  his  conversion,  he  felt  it  to  be 
his  duty  to  take  upon  himself  Jacob's  vow—"  Of  all 
that  Thou  shalt  give  me  I  will  surely  give  the  tenth 
unto    Thee."     This    resolution   was    strengthened 
shortly  afterwards  by  reading  Dr.  Harris's  "  Mam- 
mon."    He  strictly  adhered  year  after  year  to  pro- 
portionate giving  through  all  fluctuations  of  his  for- 
tune.    But  the  tenth  was  not  the  maximum  of  his 
yearly  contributions  to  religious  and  charitable  ob- 
jects ;  it  was  the  minimum.     It  was  not  the  limit 
beyond  which,  but  below  wJiich,  he  would  not  go. 
His  systematic  giving  did  not  check  his  spontane- 
ous generosity.     He  did  not  make  the  freest  and 
noblest  of  the  graces — charity — a   mere  matter  of 
the  book  of  arithmetic.     AYe  have  seen  him,  when 
but  a  clerk  with  five  hundred  a  year,  with  "  frank- 
hearted  thrif tlessness  "  give  §50  to  meet  the  diflicul- 
ties  of  one  poor  man.     The  tenth  was  not  in  his 
case  hush-money  to  conscience,  or  quit-rent  to  God — 
a  discharge  in  full  of  all  obligations  to  the  great 
cause  of  religion  and  humanity.     Nor  was  it  a  kind 
of  insurance-payment  to  Providence.     But  he  found 
this  principle — the  tenth,  to  hegin  with,  is  sacred  to 
religion  and  jphilanthrojnj — very  helpful  towards  a 
wise  adjustment  of  the  concurrent  claims  of  busi- 
ness, culture,  home-comfort  and   the  amenities  of 


248 


LIFE   OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


niS  CONSECRATION  OF  HIS  WEALTH. 


249 


',i 


social  life.  lie  found  it  necessary  in  his  position, 
and  with  his  reputation  for  liberality,  and  his  rela- 
tions to  Christian  enterprise — metropolitan,  connec- 
tional,  and  antipodal — to  extend  to  his  beneficence 
the  like  regularity  and  exactness  which  presided 
over  his  commercial  affairs. 

The  followino:  extract  from  a  letter  to  a  friend  in 
Melbourne  explains  his  principle  in  his  own  words ; 

"  London,  March  2Ut,  1866. 
"  I  have  for  years  adopted  a  systematic  plan  of 
giving.  It  is  better  to  give  on  a  recognized  plan 
than  by  fitful  impulse.  In  the  latter  way  you 
neither  give  so  much  nor  so  well.  But  setting  aside 
in  your  ledger  a  tithe  of  all  your  gains  as  God's 
portion,  you  can  periodically,  and  as  a  faithful 
steward,  decide  how  that  portion  shall  be  distrib- 
uted." 

But  his  liberality  was  none  the  less  spontaneous 
because  it  was  systematic.  His  generosity,  though 
like  all  his  other  virtues,  an  offslioot  of  his  fidelity 
to  God,  and  restrained  and  regulated  by  the  sense 
of  responsibility,  was  not  rigid  or  geometrically 
ruled,  but  graceful  and  luxuriant  as  a  branch  that 
runs  over  tlie  wall.  Side  by  side  with  his  munifi- 
cence to  great  Church  undertakings  there  flourished 
much  private  generosity.  We  have  already  noticed 
a  very  characteristic  instance  of  what  might  be  re- 
garded as  an  almost  eccentric  liberality  in  one  so 
conscientious  and  so  calculating  even  in  his  givings, 
and  so  committed   to  great  Church   schemes — his 


anonymous  donation  of  $1,250  to  Mr.  Ilargreaves, 
the  discoverer  of  the  Australian  gold-fields.  This 
WVLQ  accompanied  by  a  graceful  letter  representing 
the  donation  as  a  scant  offering  of  simple  justice. 
The  reply  of  Mr.  Hargreaves  to  his  unknown  ad- 
mirer, through  the  same  channel,  was  equally  taste- 
ful and  honorable.  It  was  Mr.  Powell's  very  con- 
scientiousness, his  sense  of  fairness,  that  prompted 
an  act,  which,  had  it  been  imitated  by  all  who  de- 
rived benefit,  directly,  or,  like  Mr.  Powell,  indirect- 
ly, from  the  gold  discoveries,  would  have  made  the 
discoverer  a  millionnaire.  It  brought  into  play  a 
principle,  which,  if  universally  acted  upon,  would 
redeem  the  world  from  the  disgrace  and  guilt  of 
neglecting  its  greatest  benefactors. 

When  he  saw  a  worthy  tradesman  "  under  the 
weather,"  he  would  nobly  "come  to  the  rescue," 
and  both  man  and  steer  the  commercial  life-boat  by 
heading  a  private  list  of  subscriptions. 

Another  fine  and  exemplary  instance  of  Mr. 
Powell's  conscientious  liberality  was  his  persistent 
endeavors  to  raise  the  stipends  of  Christ's  ministers 
to  a  point  which  would  enable  them  to  live  com- 
fortably and  respectably,  without  pinching,  and  free 
from  anxieties  which  tend  to  distract  the  mind  from 
the  great  work  of  saving  souls.  Protestants,  who 
cannot  insist  on  the  celibacy  of  the  clergy,  are 
bound  to  put  pastors  and  their  families  into  a  posi- 
tion  of  comfort. 

The  sustentation  of  the  ministers  of  Christ  on 
such  a  scale  of  liberality  as  shall  place  them  in  a 
position  of  frugal  competence — not  of  luxury,  but 
11* 


250 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


HIS   CONSECKAllON   OF   HIS   WEAETH. 


251 


of  plenty,  not  of  ostentation,  but  of  sccmlincss— is 

X^  •/  '  ill* 

represented  in  prophecy  as  one  main  result  and  di- 
rection of  Christianized  commerce :  "  Her  merchan- 
dise and  her  hire  shall  be  holiness  unto  the  Lord : 
it  shall  not  be  treasured  nor  laid  up  ;  for  her  mer- 
chandise shall  be  for  them  that  dwell  before  the 
Lord,  to  eat  sufficiently,  and  for  durable  clothing." 

Our  friend  paid  the  difference  between  the  rent 
of  a  small  and  ill-situated  cottage  and  that  of  ^  a 
good-sized  bouse  in  a  pleasant  locality  for  the  min- 
ister by  whose  instrumentality  he  had  been  brought 
to  the  vital  knowledge  of  the  truth. 

He  thus  expresses  his  convictions  in  a  letter  to  a 

friend : 

•*  London,  August  llth^  1857. 
"  I  do  not  think  that  the  AVesleyan  Church  occu- 
pies nearly  so  influential  a  position  in  England  as  in 
the  Colonies.  One  great  drawback  to  her  progress 
is  that  many  of  her  ministers  have  their  energies 
damped  and  their  courage  broken  by  the  pecuniary 
straits  incident  to  their  insufficient  allowances. 
Having  witnessed  the  blighting  influence  which  this 
exerts  on  the  cause  of  God,  I  shall  more  strongly 
than  ever  advocate  in  the  colony  that  onr  ministers 
be  fairly  salaried,  and  that  such  a  provision  be  made 
for  their  old  age  as  may  permit  them  to  look  for- 
ward to  it  without  anxiety." 

In  a  most  delicate  manner,  he  would  supplement 
the  income  of  ministers  who  liad  little  or  no  private 
property,  so  as  to  carry  it  somewhat  beyond  the 


point  which  the   Quarterly  Meeting    thought  suf- 
ficient. 

He  loved  to  give  some  elegant  and  substantial 
tribute   to   acts   of   kindness   and   consideration  in 

others,  e.g., — 

"  My  dear ,  I  have  chosen  a  very  pretty  pic- 
colo piano  for  you,  of  a  nice  tone  and  touch,  which 
I  beg  you  will  accept  as  a  small  token  of  the  estima- 
tion I  have  for   the   generous   kindness   you  have 

shown  to ." 

This  was  always  done  in  the  most  graceful  man- 
ner: 

"  I  know  how  delicate  and  high-principled  you 
are,  especially  as  to  money  matters,  but  you  must 
not  allow  that  to  prevent  your  accepting  what  is 
really  your  7'ight ;  and  remember,  it  comes  from  an 
old  friend." 

One  of  his  guiding  axioms  was :  "  Some  of  our 
good  deeds  should  be  performed  publicly,  for  exam- 
ple's sake,  but  the  greater  part  quietly.  The  right 
hand  should  not  be  always  shouting  to  the  left, '  Ho ! 
don't  you  see,  I'm  putting  up  chapels  here,  there, 
and  everywhere.' " 

As  might  be  expected,  his  generosity  sometimes 
drew  him  into  difficulties  and  perplexities  and  mani- 
fold awkwardnesses,  the  extricating  himself  from 
which  brought  out  finely  his  idiosyncrasies  of  adroit 
goodness — the  exquisite  combination  of  firmness  and 
decision  with  judiciousness  and  gentleness.  Of  all 
this  his  correspondence  affords  ample,  but  unquota- 
ble, evidence. 

The  pleasure  he  felt  in  parting  with  money  when 


ill  I  ■ 


252 


.  LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


HIS  CONSECRATION  OF  HIS  WEALTH. 


253 


his  judgment  gave  him  leave  was  of  great  service  to 
him  in  liis  business,  rescuing  him  from  that  penny 
wisdom,   wliich   is   proverbially  pound   folly:  e.g.^ 

"  Give  the  mate  of  the $30,  if  the   mirrors 

arrive  y^\\\\f€W  breakages." 

"  There  is  some  pleasure  in  paying  the  P.  and  O., 
they  do  their  work  so  well." 

lie  had  a  deep  conviction  that  giving  was  an  es- 
sential part  of  a  religious  education.  To  an  Austral- 
ian minister : 

"The  Clmrch  must  not  neglect  to  cultivate  the 
hcai-ts  of  the  youth  of  the  colony,  so  that  they  may 
have  true  sympathy  with  and  generous  impulses 
toward  every  agency  that  will  improve  mankind. 
Children  must  be  trained  to  give,  or  tliey  will  give 
little  when  they  become  men.  Giving  is  waging  a 
successful  war  with  the  great  enemy  of  the  human 
Boul — covetousness." 

A  strong  instance  of  Mr.  Powell's  good  sense  was 
that  he  had  rather  give  tlian  bequeath.  lie  had  no 
idea  of  giving  with  the  dead  hand  {mortmain). 
He  held,  with  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  that  "  those  who 
give  nothing  till  they  die  never  give  at  all." 

One  would  fain  linger  on  a  subject  so  pleasant  as 
this.  In  fact  there  are  few  aspects  of  the  Church 
in  the  present  day  so  hopeful  as  the  revived  spirit 
and  heightened  scale  of  Christian  liberality.  So 
strongly  has  the  grace  of  giving  grown  up  amongst 
us,  that  an  attempt  is  made  to  systematize  it  into 
a  science.  But  in  determining  the  ^\\q proportions 
of  giving,  i\\e principles  of  Christian  liberality  must 
not  be  lost  sight  of.    The  beneficence  of  the  Church 


t 


must  never  become  a  mere  matter  of  tariff.  Christ 
Himself  must  be  the  motive,  the  model,  and  the 
measure  of  our  giving.  Grace  itself  is  generosity, 
— "  the  very  prodigality  of  heaven  ;  "  but  steward- 
ship implies  order  as  well  as  kindliness,  an  econom- 
ical and  discriminating,  as  well  as  a  diffusive  mu- 
nificence. It  was  this  judicious  liberality  that  gave 
completeness  to  Mr.  Powell's  character.  Humility 
was  its  base,  an  energetic  conscientiousness  its  shaft, 
and  a  well-poised  charity  its  Corinthian  capital. 
When  he  had  but  little,  he  did  his  diligence  to  give 
of  that  little,  and  ever  as  his  resources  grew,  to  his 
power,  yea,  and  beyond  his  power,  he  was  willing 
of  himself.  Whilst  his  beneficence  was  systematic 
in  degree  and  direction,  its  quality  was  7iot  strained. 
With  him  giving  was  not  only  a  principle,  but  also 
a  pleasure  and  a  passion.  He  gave  to  indulge  the 
God-like  propensity  and  penchant  of  his  renewed 
nature.  It  was  not  a  duty  to  which  he  felt  bound 
to  work  and  wind  himself  up,  but  a  luxury  of  feel- 
ing which  he  was  bent  upon  enjoying  to  the  full  ex- 
tent which  conscience  would  allow.  It  was,  in  fact, 
the  only  luxury  in  which  he  indulged.  He  was 
"  given  to  "  giving.  Generosity  had  obtained  a  real 
and  effective  mastery  over  him,  so  that  he  was  in- 
cessantly either  gratifying  his  passion,  or  laying 
plans  for  its  gratification,  devising  liberal  things. 
It  was  a  kind  of  gracious  besetment,  whicli  had  to 
be  placed  under  the  strict  guardianship  of  propriety 
and  prudence.  It  required  vigorous  self-control  to 
keep  his  bounty  within  bounds.  He  had  a  bountiful 
eye.    In  fact,  he  was  "  one  of  those  rare  men  in 


254 


MFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


HIS  CONSECRATION  OF  HIS  WEALTH. 


255 


m 


wliom  the  desire  to  relieve  distress  assumes  the  form 
of  a  master-passion." 

He  was  always  trying  to  stimuLate  the  less  ardent 
benevolence  of  others,  challenging  them  to  a  bolder 
strain  of  benevolence,  provoking  them  to  love  and 
good  works.     Like  Saint  Paul,  he  wonld  not  hesi- 
tate to   pique  tlie  well-to-do  by  contrast  with   the 
enthusiastic  beneficence  of  the  comparatively  poor. 
It  is  a  not  uncommon  complaint  of  individuals  who 
have  no  need  to  be  under  any  personal   alarm  of 
catching  the  contagion  of  generosity,  that  appeal  is 
sometimes  made  to  a  principle  of  emulation,  a  pas- 
sion of  rivalry  in  endeavoring  to  excite  Christian 
people  to  a  large-hearted  liberality.     Yet  is  not  this 
precisely  the  point  of  the  ai)ostolic  appeal  to  the 
Corinthians  (2  Cor.  ix.  1-4)  ?     It  is  as  if  he  had  said, 
"  You  commercial  and  cultivated  Corinthians  will 
hardly  let  yourselves  be  distanced  in  the  glorious 
race  of  generosity,  by  the  poverty-stricken  peasantry 
of  Philippi."     Emulation  in  that  which  is  good  is  a 
healthy  and  honorable,  and  may  be  a  hallowed  pas- 
sion.    It  is  as  salutary  in  its  influence  upon  individ- 
ual character  as  it  is  beneficial  in  its  effects  upon 
society  at  large. 

The  subject  of  this  memoir  loved  to  make  his 
giving  all  the  more  productive  by  making  it,  as 
much  as  possible,  provocative  of  generosity  in  others. 
He  belonged  to  that  liappy  and  increasing  class 
whose  epitaph  on  earth  might  be,  as  their  record  on 
high  doubtless  is—  Tour  zeal  hath  provoked  very 
many.  It  is  impossible  to  estimate  the  indebtedness 
of  Victorian  Methodism  to  the  man  who,  at  the  be- 


ginning of  its  history,  set  before  it  such  a  high 
standard  and  such  an  inspiring  example  of  well- 
applied  beneficence,  and  did  so  much  towards  the 
creation  of  a  just  public  opinion  on  the  subject  of 

Christian  liberality. 

Wealth  only  becomes  "  the  mammon  of  unright- 
eousness"  when  it  is  ill-gotten  or  ill-applied.  Then 
only  does  Proudhon's  dictum, "  Property  is  robbery, 
hold  good.  Gathered  hy  serviceable  lahor,  consecrat- 
ed to  Christian  objects,  merchandise  and  hire  are 
holiness  to  the  Lord.  Accumulation  has  been 
called   "the   crucible  of  character."     Mr.  Powell 

stood  the  test. 

Nor  was  it  only  by  direct  donation  of  solid  sums 
of  money  that  his  generosity  indulged  itself.  Like 
Gains,  he  was  the  "  host  of  the  whole  Church." 
His  liberality,  though  methodical,  was  not  mechani- 
cal ;  it  was  systematic,  but  not  stereotyped.  He 
was  always  brooding  over  some  new  scheme  of 
benevolence,  and  asking  himself  how  he  might 
give  in  proportion  to  the  magnitude  and  urgency  of 
the  enterprise.  Thus  he  became  "rich  toward 
God."  Despite  his  feeble  health,  life  was  to  him  a 
continual  feast. 

Mr.  Powell  learnt  first  to  show  piety  at  home. 
His  conduct  to  his  less  successful  relatives  was 
nothing  less  than  munificent.  He  laid  it  down  as  a 
principle,  "  It  is  not  only  natural  but  just  that  mem- 
bers of  ray  family  should  derive  benefit  from  my 
success."  Several  sudden  deaths  having  occurred 
in  his  family,  many  orphan  nephews  and  nieces 
were  left  unprovided  for.     These  he  at  once  accept 


256 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


ed  as  his  providential  wards ;  and,  for  tlic  last  six- 
teen years  of  his  life,  he  supported,  clothed,  and 
educated  them.  For  a  succession  of  3^eai-s  the  sums 
he  spent  on  them  amounted  to  nearly  §G,000  a  year, 
and  in  his  will  he  left  a  very  eonsideraljle  charge 
upon  his  estate  for  their  advantage.  During  the 
decade  1S50-1S60,  his  books  show  that  he  had  ex- 
pended on  the  average  $8,000  a  year  on  private 
benefactions  to  individuals.  His  fidelity  and  ten- 
derness towards  his  young  relatives  were  exquisite. 
On  the   2Gth   of   February,  he  wrote  to   his  little 

nephew  N ,  asking  him  what  he  would  like  to 

be,  and  giving  him  a  wide  range  of  choii^e,  encour- 
aged him  to  pursue  especially  tliose  studies  which  he 
had  the  keenest  relish  for,  and  asked  him  to  request 
his  master  to  allow  him  to  pursue  any  study  he  had 
a  taste  for,  besides  the  ordinary  course  of  school 
teaching.  Yet  with  all  this  fatherly  indulgence,  he 
exercised  the  most  resolute  firmness  and  discrimina- 
tion. He  knew  how  to  give  good  gifts.  lie  chal- 
lenged their  confidence,  and  wrote  pages  at  a  time 
of  fatherly  counsel,  gently  and  piquantly  correcting 
their  juvenile  misconceptions.  "  As  to  ^  defying 
competition,'  I  hope  you  will  defy  nobody  and 
nothinor  but  sin,  and  bec>ome  '  a  star  of  the  fii*st 
mairnitude '  as  to  truth  and  virtue,  and  then,  if  God 
will,  as  to  wealth." 

Having  come  into  possession  of  considerable  prop- 
erty through  the  death  of  a  relative  (who  died  in- 
testate), and  thinking  it  probable  that  had  the 
deceased  made  a  will,  the  property  would  have  been 
bequeathed    to     more    necessitous    relations,     Mr. 


HIS   CONSECRATION    OF    niS   WEALTH. 


257 


Powell  devoted  the  whole  to  the  maintenance  and 
education  of  some  young  relatives,  supplementing 
the  amomit  bv  handsome  allowances  from  his  own 
mercantile  profits  ;  and  that  in  such  a  way  as  gave 
them  the  superadded  advantage  of  his  commercial 
position  and  experience.     Tiie  expenditure  of  feel- 
in-,  the  wear  and  tear  of  heart  and  brain  voluntarily 
uirdertaken  by  him  on  behalf  of  others,  whilst    ns 
own  business  was  so  severely  drawing  upon  his 
bodily,  mental,  and  spiritual  strength,  inspires  one 
with  an  admiration,  not  unmixed  with   pity,  and 
even  tinctured  with  some  degree  of  blame.     His 
self-imposed,  or  rather  love-imposed,  toils  and  anx- 
ieties for  others  told  terribly  on  his  health. 

He  was,  in  short,  almost  a  martyr  to  benevolence, 
being  obliged  to  admit,  "  The  large  number  of  pen- 
sioners I  have  depending  upon  me  is  beginning  to 
make  me  prematurely  old." 

And  whilst  thus  mindful  of  the  claims  of  kin,  he 
was  to  the  poor  most  pitiful  and  considerate.  He 
ever  and  again  sent  directions  from  London  for  the 
relief  of  necessitous  individuals  in  Melbourne.     "  I 

am  sorry  for  poor ^'s  accident ;  do  not  let  them 

starve."     "  I  give  you  authority  to  do  anything  for 
-  that  you  think  right  to  be  done."     He  was 


wont  to  bestow  on  all  such  cases  thought  as  well  as 

money;  e.g.,  "  Give  a  little  help  to from  time 

to  time,  but  judiciously,  as is  not  a  good  man- 
ager, and  must  be  taken  care  of."  In  his  diary  one 
meets  with  such  records  as  these : 

"  July  22d,  18G5.— Went  to  Islington  (from  Bays- 
water)  to  call  on  a  woman  who  had  come  to  me  for 


258 


LITE   OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


relief;  found  lier  case  a  deserving  one;  sick  hus- 
band and  three  small  children." 

"  August  1st,  1858.— Wrote  to  Mr. to  allow 

Mrs. $5  a  week,  until  she  can  get  a  living  for 

herself." 

"  August  23d,  1859.— Wrote  to  — 


HIS   CONSECKAIION   OF   HIS  WEALTH. 


259 


,  promising 

to  lend  him  $150,  for  six  months,  without  interest." 

'^' September  30th,   1859.— Wrote  to  Mr.  , 

offering  to  send  his  two  nieces  to  school  next  year, 
provided  he  would  assist." 

"December  22d,   1859.— Wrote    to  Mrs.  , 

sending  her  $25,  and  telling  her  that,  in  future,  I 
should  allow  her  $25  dollai*s  a  month." 

He  writes,  "  I  reckon  the  widow  and  the  father- 
less are  as  good  an  investment  as  a  man  can  make." 

Advising  a  ladj  (who  had  no  claim  on  him  but 
that  which  rested  on  a  knowledge  of  her  difficulties 
and  the  admirable  character  of  lier  family)  that  he 
had  remitted  $400  to  a  New  York  firm,  to  pay  her 
passage  to  Australia,  and  to  furnish  necessaries  for 
the   voyage,   he   adds  the    following    suggestions: 
"  Whether  you  go  by  tlie  Cape  of  Good  Ilope  or  by 
Cape   Horn,  take  all   the  light  and  all  the  warm 
clothing  you  can  get  together,  as  you  will  be  sure  to 
meet  with  extremes  of  heat  and   cold,  whichever 
route  yon  choose.     I  should  also  advise  you  to  take 
a  small  stock  of  useful  medicines,  as  these  are  often 
required  at  sea,  and  it  is  a  favor  to  get  them  ;  also,^ 
a  few  medical  comforts,  as  port  wine,  sago,  brandy, 
arrowroot,  and,  if  you  can  meet  with  it,  preserved 
milk  in  tins.     A  good  supply  of  gingerbread  you 
will  find  useful  for  the  children,  also  some  biscuits. 


A  few  candles  and  matches,  some  oatmeal,  and  rice, 
as  you  will  not  get  vegetables  or  milk  on  board. 
These  few  hints  may  enable  you  to  escape  much  suf- 
fering at  sea. — London,  June  15th,  1857." 

His  whole  arduous  correspondence  with  his  friends 
yields  a  beautiful  manifestation  of  his  ''  good  and 
honest  heart."     We  have  seen  that  one  well  compe- 
tent to  judge  can  only  account  for  its  laboriousness 
on  the  ground  of  his  all-pervading  conscientious- 
ness.    With  all  his  caution  and  shrewdness  there 
was  an  element  of  the  heroic  in  his  friendship.     A 
gentleman   testifies  :     "  I  know  full  well  that   my 
present  successful  position  is  in  a   great  measure 
attributable  to  his  energy  and  judgment,  added  to 
his  generosity  and  confidence  in  intrusting  me  with 
so  large  a  portion  of  his  capital.     I  do  not  forget 
that  he  also  saved  my  life.     I  got  out  of  my  depth 
at  the  Cataracts  before  I  had  learned  to  swim,  and 
was  sinking  for  the  third  time,  when  he  plunged  in 
and  brought  me  safe  to  shore."     The  same  gentle- 
man  also   describes   the   delicacy  with  which  Mr. 
Powell,  having  the  opportunity  and  the  intention  of 
purchasing  a  very  lucrative  business,  on  learning 
that  his  friend  liad  set  his  heart  upon  it,  at  once  re- 
tired from  the  field.     The  same  gentleman  adds: 
"  One  sentiment  pervaded  his  life  and  his  letters  to 
me.     I  have  just  been  reading  one  in  which  he  says, 
'  Be  sure  to  keep  in  view  the  fact  that  the  only  thing 
that  has  substance  in  it  is  to  get  good  and  do  good. 
Let  you  and  me  be  thankful  that  it  is  in  our  power 
to  give,  for  it  has  been  given  to  us.     It  is  God  that 
giveth  thee  power  to  get  wealth.     He  has  given  us 


I    1 


260 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


the  talents  which  lead  to  riches,  and  we  shall  one 
day  give  our  account  as  to  how  tliey  have  been 
employed.     TJiis  sliould  check  our  pride  in  thinking 
of  any  success  with  which  we  liave  been  favored 
A  little  reflection  will  convince  us  that  "  it  is  more 
blessed  to  give  than  to  receive,"  since  not  only  is  it 
pleasing  to  God  when  done  with  a  true  motive,  but 
it   has   tlie  very  best  effect  upon  our  own  hearts, 
teaching  us  not  to  live  to  ourselves  or  harden  our 
hearts,  but  to  keep  soft  and  sympathetic.     '  To  do 
good  and  to  distribute  forget  not :  for  with  such 
sacrifices  God  is  well  pleased.'"     Thus  did  he  ani- 
mate his  friends  by  word  and  by  example  to  devo- 
tion and  philanthropy.     He  never  felt  that  he  had 
done  enough  for  his  friends.     He  thus  apologizes 
for  the  letters  on  which  they  set  so  much  store : 
"So  much  business  correspondence  spoils  one  for 
the  descriptive  detail  which  makes  a  private  letter 
interesting.     The  drudgery  of  the  nmil  takes  all  the 
finer  flights  of  imagination  out  of  a  man,  and  leaves 
the  correspondence  of  friendship  to  be  '  performed  ' 
as  the  undertakei-s  do  a  funeral."     Yet  he  mani- 
fested the  utmost  leniency  and  indulgence  to  the 
epistolary  shortcomings  of  otiiei-s :  "  You,  we  hardly 
expect  to  write,  unless  you  are  obliged,  as  I  know  it 
is  a  task  to  you." 

He  loved  to  encourage  others  to  similar  acts  of 

generosity  ;  e.^.,  "  I  saw the  other  day.     She 

was  in  raptures  at  some  kindness  you  had  done  for 
her,  and  showed  me  some  useful  articles  she  had 
been  able  to  procure  in  consequence— a  clock,  etc." 

His  attention  to  the  interests  of  his  friends  was 


HIS  CONSECEATION   OF   HIS   WEALTH. 


261 


indefatigable.  He  is  not  content  with  giving  Eng- 
lish news  to  his  Australian  acquaintances,  but 
appends  such  pregnant  postscripts  as  the  following : 

"  If  you  or want  any  commission  executed,  I 

will  take  the  greatest  pains  to  get  things  for  you 
good  and  cheap.  Music,  furniture,  ornaments, 
clothinjr,  in  short,  whatever  you  state.  It  may  save 
you  a  few  pounds,  and  would  be  a  pleasure  to  me. 
Mr.  Powell  did  not  hold  himself  acquitted  by  giv- 
ing money  freely.  He  felt  bound  to  exercise  the 
like  discretion  in  the  disbursement  of  the  sums  set 
apart  for  charity  to  that  which  he  employed  in  the 
manajrement  of  his  business.  We  have  seen  that 
he  would  undertake  a  journey  across  London  to 
verify  a  tale  of  woe.  Like  Job,  he  could  say,  "  I 
was  a  father  to  the  poor,  and  the  cause  that  I  hneio 
not  I  searched  out^  lie  writes  with  reference  to 
some  young  people  whom  he  was  wishful  to  help : 
"  I  should  only  do  them  harm  were  I  to  assist  them 

beyond  § ,  for  none  are  so  helpless,  wretched, 

and  dissatisfied  as  the  habitually  dependent.  I 
therefore,  etc.  In  the  event  of  my  death,  regard 
this  as  an  Mnstruction  to  my  executors.'"  "To 
help  many  I  have  been  economical  with  all."  "  I 
will  not  give  money  to  support  persons  in  idleness, 
which  brings  ruin  on  earth,  and  involves,  if  per- 
sisted in,  eternal  destruction." 

His  liberality  was  as  practical  and  business-like  as 
it  was  unconstrained.  He  took  good  care  that  his 
charity  was  well  laid  out.  He  gave  to  the  needy 
not  only  money,  but  also  that  which  was  far  more 
precious,  time,  thought,  and  attention.    He  was  one 


i 


262 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


HIS   CONSECRATION    OF   HIS   WEALTH. 


263 


of  those  to  whom  tlie  King  shall  say,  "  I  was  sick, 
and  ye  visited  Mo." 

He  would  not  allow  himself  to  he  imposed  upon. 
"  I  would  be  the  last  man  to  distress  you,  whilst  you 
are  doinc^  your  best."  ''  The  party  who  confers  a 
benefit  has  the  right  to  determine  the  conditions, 
not  the  one  who  receives  it." 

"  I  have  written  a  very  plain  letter,  telling  him 
that  any  endeavor  on  my  part  to  help  him  will  be 
useless,  unless  he  thoroughly  forsake  his  evil  habit. 
If  he  is  sober,  and  in  distress,  try  to  give  him  some 
employment ;  but  if  he  drink,  to  give  him  money 
will  only  be  destroying  him." 

"  I  will  serve  you  to  the  utmost  of  my  power,  so 
long  as  you  deserve  it." 

Yet,  it  must  be  confessed  that  much  of  his  caution 
in  charity  as  well  as  in  business  was  learned  from 
bitter  experience.  In  1858,  after  describing  how  a 
party  whom  he  had  lavishly  helped,  had  deliberately 
robbed  him  of  $500,  he  writes  :  "  Whilst  I  must  not 
close  my  heart  or  purse  to  real  objects  of  charity,  I 
confess  that  I  am  getting  tired  of  clamorous  greedi- 
ness. I  think  I  shall  now  start  afresh,  and  quite 
put  down  any  whining  imposture." 

Another  very  characteristic  excellence  of  Mr. 
Powell's  was  carefulness  not  to  hand  over  to  another 
a  troublesome  case  of  unhelpable  helplessness  :  e.g. — 

"  To  break  up 's  bad  associations,  the  best 

course  will  perhaps  be  to  send  him  to  :  but 

donH  give  him  an  introduction  to ,  or  even  his 

address^  since  I  do  not  wish  to  afflict  my  friends,  as 
they  sometimes  afflict  me." 


« is  a  thorough  begging  vagabond.     I  have 

frequently  relieved  him.  He  persuaded  a  minister 
to  give  him  an  introduction  to  me  some  months 
ago,  and  has  stuck  to  me  ever  since.  The  last  time 
he  applied  I  warned  him  off.  If  he  cannot  support 
himself  and  family,  he  must  make  friends  with  the 
*  Union.'  If  he  come  again  after  you  have  warned 
him— which  he  is  almost  sure  to  do— threaten  him 
with  the  police." 

Our  friend  deemed  that  the  conditions  of  success 
in  Church  enterprises  and  in  secular  business  were 
identical.  Against  burdening  a  religious  enterprise 
with  debt,  he  writes  concerning  Polynesian  mis- 
sions : 

**  Melbourne,  September  2^th,  1858. 
"To  Rev.  John  Eggleston. 

"  You  are  not  obliged  to  send  more  men  than  the 
fund  can  support,  nor  are  the  men,  when  sent,  re- 
quired, either  by  the  Committee  or  their  Great 
Master,  to  do  more  work  than  they  are  equal  to. 
"What  is  the  use  of  preachers,  any  more  than  trades- 
men, trying  to  do  a  large  business  with  a  small 
capital?  That  can  only  end  in  disaster.  Let  the 
missionaries  do  what  work  they  are  equal  to.  If 
they  attempt  more,  they  will  accomplish  so  much 
less.  I  imagine  that  the  island  preachers  proceed 
much  on  the  same  system  as  their  Australian 
brethren,  viz.,  endeavor  to  take  up  more  ground 
than  they  can  profitably  woi-k.  I  see  a  preacher 
has  been  sent  to  the  Samoan  Group.  Why  seek 
this  new  field,  when  the  old  ones  are  not  properly 


264: 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


HIS  CONSECRATION  OF  HIS  WEALTH. 


265 


attended  to?  Admitting  tlie  imix)rtance  of  the 
Samoan  case,  had  it  not  better  be  left  until  our  re- 
sources, and  our  staff  of  missionaries,  will  enable 
and  entitle  us  to  work  it  ?  I  see  that  New  Zealand 
absorbs  a  large  amount  of  our  Fund.  This  ought 
to  be  carefully  looked  into.  It  is  a  downright 
shame  that  this  station,  which  ought  to  be  self- 
sustaining,  should  swallow  up  the  lion's  share  of 
the  funds.  The  '  John  Wesley,'  if  managed  in  a 
business-like  way,  would,  I  imagine,  nearly  pay 
her  own  expenses." 

"Grammar  School  and  Wesley  Church:— Be 
very  vigilant  as  regards  the  Grammar  School 
money.  See  that  it  is  not  loaned  for  Church  pur- 
poses, and  that  Wesley  Church  repays  her  debt 
with  good  interest  when  the  railway  is  complete. 
Mind  you  remain  one  of  the  treasurers  of  the  fund, 
and,  please,  in  your  next  give  me  a  statement  of  its 

present  position." 

Answer  to  application  for  subscription  to  new 

chapel  in  Victoria : 
"My  dear  Mr. 


"  As  to  your  new  chapel.  In  January,  d.v.,  I 
will  go  closely  into  my  engagements,  and  send  you 
an  order  for  what  I  can  afford.  I  hope  it  may  be 
$2,500 ;  possibly  it  may  not  be  half  that  sum,  as  the 
claims  upon  me  are  large  in  proportion  to  my 
income ;  but  I  thank  God  heartily  for  giving  mo 
anything  to  spare,  and  any  disposition  to  give.  I 
will  do  what  is  just  and  right,  in  consideration  of 
my  other  engagements." 


"At  present  I  am  engaged  with  a  few  other 
friends  in  our  Circuit  in  getting  up  a  chapel  m  a 
destitute  part  of  London,  where  ten  years  ago  there 
^vere  not  five  hundred  people,  but  now  from  twenty- 
five   thousand    to    thirty   thousand.     They   belong 
chiefly  to  the  laboring  classes,  few  of  whom  attend 
any  place  of  worship.     London  would  appall  you 
by  its  rapid  growth  and   its   spiritual  destitution. 
Vast  exertions  are  being  made  by  all   denomina- 
tions ;  but  to  overtake  the  annual  increase  of  pop- 
ulation, requires  fifty  to  sixty  new  places  of  worship. 
The  pressure  to  give  from  every  quarter  is  wonder- 
ful.    Deputations,  collectors,   letters,   reports,   col- 
lections, etc.,  a  man  who  has  anything  to  give  is 
now  flooded  with,  so  that  a  systematic  plan  is  one's 
only  relief  and  safety." 

*'  MarcJi  26th,  1866. 
"  To  Eev.  John  Eggleston. 

"Chapel  debts  must  become  things  of  the  past. 
They  are  now  held  in  abomination  in  England,  and 
I  hope  will  be  in  the  colony.     I  have  lately  been 
interested  in  getting  the  means  together  of  raising 
a  chapel  to  seat  three  hundred,  in  a  poor  neighbor- 
hood.    I  made  a  good  heading  to  the  subscription 
list,  on   condition    that    all   the   money   required, 
$8,000,  should  be  promised  before  the  building  was 
commenced.     This  has  been  accomplished  through 
the   zeal   and  activity  of  our  superintendent,  the 
Rev.  G.  Maunder,  and  we  hope  to  begin  next  week. 
"  I  am  obliged  to  all  the  friends  who  said  such 
kind  things  of  me  at  the  College  breakfast,  andthank- 
13 


^  -r^ 


266 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


HIS  CONSECRATION   OF  HIS   WEALTH. 


267 


i 


fulyou  had  a  good  start.  The  Grammar  School  will, 
doubtless,  do  well  under  good  management.  Mind 
that  the  profits,  after  you  get  out  of  debt,  are  de- 
voted to  making  the  establishment  most  complete, 
improving  the  property,  collecting  a  library,  and, 
lastly,  founding  scholai-ships.  Kot  a  penny  of  the 
profits  must  be  diverted  from  the  College.  I  am 
glad  to  learn  that  you  are  so  heartily  engaged  in 
the  greatest  work  of  all,  the  work  of  God,  whether 
in  erecting  chapels  and  schools,  or  preaching  Christ. 

"  I  have  quite  made  up  my  mind  never  again  to 
subscribe  to  a  chapel  which  will  have  a  debt  upon 
it  or  its  accessories.  This  condition  secured,  I  give 
you  authority  to  pay  to  the  treasurer  $2,500,  a 
promise  binding  on  my  executors  in  the  event  of 
my  death  before  the  money  is  paid.  Do  not  pro- 
pose any  relaxation  of  the  principle — no  debt. 
From  the  blessings  which  flow  from  offering  to 
God  a  house  as  a  free  sacrifice,  and  the  curse  that 
I  have  seen  upon  chapels  involved  in  debt,  my  mind 
is  made  up  on  the  subject.  The  congregation  with 
which  I  worship  have  erected  two  buildings  in  five 
years,  for  other  congregations,  at  a  cost  of  $40,000, 
free." 

Answer  to  an  application  for  a  loan : 

"July  3d,  1862. — It  occasions  me  much  pain  not 
to  accede  to  such  an  application  as  yours.  To  grant 
it,  however,  would  place  me  in  precisely  your  posi- 
tion, that  of  borrowing — and  to  that  I  cannot  sub- 
mit. My  whole  experience  is  against  loans.  They 
rarely  effect  the  object  designed,  in  most  cases  only 
postponing  the  evij  day,  and  not  unfrequently  ex- 


citing hard  thoughts  with  reference  to  the  lender, 
and,  at  the  end,  leaving  the  borrower,  after  a  weary 
struggle,  in  a  worse  position  than  when  he  first  took 
the  loan. 

"Whatever  help  I  afford  you  in  future,  I  have 
resolved  it  shall  take  the  form  of  gift. 

"It  is  certainly  your  duty  to  try  to  avert  the 
painful  sacrifices  to  which  you  allude,  and  I  throw 
out  the  suggestion  whether  it  would  not  be  wiser 
to  seek  permanent  relief  from  your  debts  by  raising 
the  money  as  gifts  among  your  friends. 

"  Carrying  out  my  principle  of  gift^  not  loan^  I 
would  promise  to  make  one  of  fifteen  at  $50  each, 
so  as  to  raise  the  ent'ire  amount  of  your  liabilities. 
Less  than  that  result  I  could  not  recognize.  With 
kind  regards,  yours,  etc." 

To  a  correspondent  who  had  been  sneering  at  the 
dishonesty  of  some  large  givers,  he  quietly  replies: 
"  The  chaff  will  cling  to  the  wheat,  but  it  is  a  com- 
fort to  know  that  the  bulk  of  those  who  subscribe 
to  charities  are  still  the  salt  of  the  earth." 

But  our  friend's  caution  never  got  the  better  of 
his  compassion, — e.  ^.,  " is  a  poor,  weakly  creat- 
ure, and  has  been  in  misery  ever  since.  It  is  true 
that  this  allowance  ($50  a  month)  may  make  them 
less  inclined  to  work,  but  I  could  not  bear  to  think  of 
my  own  affluence  and  her  penury,  and  will  incline 
to  mercy — much  as  you  may  preach  to  me.  I  have 
warned  her  that  if  this  is  diverted  from  its  proper 
object,  the  support  of  herself  and  child,  it  will  be 
withheld." 


HMM>«<|ll.l.lllllll|||IUPi|.l|UiiOT 


HIS  INTELLECTUAL  CULTURE. 


269 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

HIS  CAEEFUL  AND  LABOEIOUS  INTELLECTUAL  CULTURE. 

One  of  Mr.  Powell's  most  marked  and  exemplary 
peculiarities  was  his  conscientious  intellectual  cul- 
ture.    He  evidently  regarded  the  enlarging  and  en- 
riching of  his  mind  by  assiduous  and  systematic 
study  as  an  essential  part  of  his  duty  to  God  and 
man.     That  his  steady  pursuit  of  solid  information, 
his  indefatigable  self -training,  was  not  the  mere  in- 
dulirence  of  a  taste  for  intellectual  occupation,  or  a 
desire  to  shine  in  society,  is  plain  from  the  humble 
thoroughness  and  plodding  consecutiveness  of  his 
life-long  self -schooling.     "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord 
thy  God  with  all  thy  heart  and  with  all  thy  mind.'" 
This,  our  friend  felt  to  be  the  first  and  great  com- 
mandment.    We  have  seen  that  the  only  schooling 
he   received  in  youth  was  that  which  his  mother 
could  find  time  to  give  him,  in  the  mud  mansion  of 
a  pioneer  settler,  and  that  even  this  did  not  extend 
to  his  thirteenth  birthday,  before  which  period  he 
became  clerk  to  an  auctioneer  in  what  was  then  a 
bustling,  thriving,  colonial  seaport.     His  acquire- 
ments could  not  have  stretched  much  beyond  the 
point  of  bare  competency  to  keep  his  masters  ac- 
counts with  passable  correctness.     But  conversion 
made  the  young  Tasmanian  clerk  a  student.    lie 


forthwith   developed  what  Wordsworth    calls    "a 
strong  book-mindedness."     This  was  one  main  ob- 
ject of  his  laborious  journal-keeping.     He  lays  down 
for  himself  this  standing  order :  "  All  suggestions 
struck  out  in  convei-sation,  or  come  upon  in  reading, 
and  all  vour  own  refiections  that  strike  you  as  wor- 
thy of  retention,  and  likely  to  be  of  use,  register  at 
otwe,  as  they  occur.     The  rain  that  is  not  stored  up 
in  reservoirs  wastes  away,  till  it  is  absorbed  in  the 
sand,  or    lost    in   the  ocean,  leaving  the  ground 
parched  and  barren ;  but  if  husbanded  in  tanks,  it 
may,  by  irrigation,  fertilize  and  beautify  the  land 
with  a  thousand  rills,  even  in  the  drought  of  sum- 
mer; so  our  good  thoughts  suggested  by  Ilim  who 
created  the  mind,  unless  retained,  and  turned  to 
practical  purpose,  pass  away,  and  leave  us  none  the 
better.     By  careful  diligent  culture  our  minds  will 
bring  forth,  according  to  natural  capacity—*  some 
thirty,  some  sixty,  some  an  hundred  fold,'  but  in 
every  case  amply  repaying  all  the  cost  and  hus- 
bandry."    No  wonder  that  the  man  who  thus  traced 
true  thought  to  its  real  source  should  estimate  its 
responsibilities.     We  have  seen  also  that  he  took 
advantage  of  the  enforced  leisure  of  his  first  return 
voyage  to  Australia,  for  supplying  the  deficiencies 
of  his  education,  and  for  general  mental  enrichment. 
The  first  use  he  made  of  his  prosperity,  after  copi- 
ously contributing  to  the  religious,  philanthropic, 
and  social  interests  of  the  place  which  was  so  rapidly 
rising  from  a  village  into  a  capital,  and  the  district 
whicirwas  changing  from  a  desert  to  a  province, 
was  to  "ease  oil"  from  business,  confiding  it  more 


270 


LIFE  OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


HIS   INTELLECTUAL   CULTUEE. 


271 


M 


and  more  to  the  excellent  young  men  whom  he  had 
selected,  trained,  and  trusted;  devoting  his  morn- 
ings to  study,  his  afternoons  to  business,  and  his 
evenings  to  the  service  of  the  community  and  the 
Church.  This  scheme  of  study  was  often  baffled, 
but  never  relinquished.  In  a  letter  to  a  friend  he 
thus  states  the  object  of  his  third  visit  to  England 
— "Health,  schooling,  information."  The  leisure 
he  had  contrived  to  secure  from  his  large  business 
had  been  to  a  great  extent  absorbed  by  Church 
affairs,  and  philanthropic  efforts.  On  the  one  hand 
he  had  found  that  his  resolutely  formed  plans  of 
self-improvement  were  frustrated  by  the  importu- 
nate claims  of  a  country  and  a  Church  laying  the 
foundations  of  their  future  greatness ;  and,  on  the 
other,  he  felt  that  he  could  not  efficiently,  and  there- 
fore could  not  conscientiously,  accept  the  posi- 
tion which  his  imminent  wealth  would  thrust  upon 
him  without  some  previous  education.  His  good 
sense  and  singleness  of  purpose  taught  him  that  he 
must  hegin  at  the  heginning ;  with  the  grammar  of 
his  own  tongue.  lie  saw  that  to  make  haste  to  be 
learned  is  as  foolish  and  unchristian  as  to  make 
haste  to  be  rich.  Being  already  familiar  with  Cob- 
bett's  "Grammar,"  he  set  himself  to  the  study  of 
more  recent  elementary  works,  and  in  his  foitieth 
year  passed  through  a  course  of  grammar  exercises, 
and  the  school-boy  drudgery  of  "  Spelling  and  Mean- 
ings." His  mode  of  pursuing  the  latter  department 
of  sound  English  education,  was  "  to  go  carefully 
through  a  copious  dictionary  "  (M'Culloch's  ts'as  the 
one  selected),  "  to  write  out  all  the  words  you  do  not 


understand,  with  their  meanings."     He  then  went 
on  to  English  history ;  taking,  contemporaneously, 
"  the  Bible  studied  with  chronological  consecutive- 
ness,  making  an  analysis  of  each  book,  and  ascertain- 
ing the  condition  of  the  world  at  the  date  of  its 
writing,  or  of  the  events  it  records."     His  next  step 
was  to  familiarize  himself  with  "  some  of  the  great 
masters  of  the  English  language,  making  frequent 
extracts,  especially  from  Shakespeare."     Then   he 
went  on  to  study  the  principles  of  arithmetic,  being 
already  sufficiently  versed  in  the  art  for  all  business 
purposes;  the  elements  of  geometry,  Euclid,  and 
algebra.     He  would  never  pass  on  from  an  earlier 
stage  of  any  acquirement  until  he  was  "  perfectly  at 
home  in  it."     He  thus  gained,  to  a  remarkable  de- 
gree, a  gift  he  most  earnestly  coveted,  "  correctness 
and  readiness  of  expression,"  and  confidence  that 
"  his  speaking  and  writing  were  in  harmony  with  the 
best  English  models."     He  also  studied  "  the  Con- 
stitution of  Methodism,"  "The  Laws  of  Health," 
"  The  Duties  of  Magistrates,"  and  acquired  a  fair 
general  knowledge  of  English  law.  *     "  All  articles 
in  the  various  Encyclopsedias  on  the  subject  of  edu- 
cation "  he  eagerly  perused.    Next  he  took  up  the 
o-rammars  of  the  Latin  and  French  languages.     Is 
not  this,  in  the  main,  a  striking  anticipation  of  Pro- 
fessor   Seeley's   scheme  for  the  groundwork  of  a 
thorough  education?     He  laid   down   for  himself 
helpful  rules,  such  as  the  following:  "Write  out 
all  Latin  and  French  words  and  phrases  of  frequent 

*  Stevens's  "  Commentaries  "  was  his  text-book. 


272 


LIFE   OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


mS  INTELLECTUAL   CULTURE. 


273 


HIS' 


qm     M 


■I 


» 


occurrence."  "Carefully  examine  your  common- 
place book,  when  about  to  write  or  speak  on  any 
subject."  "Inquire  into  the  special  objects  of 
prayer  and  the  nature  of  the  faith  with  which  we 
ought  to  approach  God  through  Christ." 

The  above  is  a  part  of  his  plan  of  study,  laid 
down  in  1860.  He  maintained  the  eager  pursuit  of 
knowledge,  without  discouragement  from  the  slow- 
ness of  his  progress  and  the  vastness  of  tlie  field,  by 
such  considerations  as  these,  appended  to  his  "  plan 
of  study : "  "  Superior  abilities  are  acquired  by  long 
application."  "  Successful  plans  of  usefulness  com- 
mence on  a  small  scale,  which  can  be  enlarged  as 
experience  dictates.  Too  much  attempted  at  one 
time  ends  in  faihire."  "  The  acquisition  of  knowl- 
edge will  form  one  delightful  occupation  in  heaven, 
where  we  shall  enjoy  an  unlimited  sphere  with  ever- 
enlarging  powei-s  of  mind."  To  secure  time  for 
these  pursuits,  he  made  a  point  of  rising  at  six 
o'clock,  and  was  very  severe  upon  himself  in  his 
journal  when  he  overslept  tliat  point. 

His  recreations  were  the  study  of  music,  for  which 
he  had  both  taste  and  talent,  and  rendering  into 
vei*se  choice  portions  of  Scripture. 

His  high  estimate  of  sound  mental  culture,  as  an 
auxiliary  to  true  vital  godliness  and  as  a  means  of 
advancing  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  was  shown  by  the 
efforts  and  sacrifices  he  made  for  the  establishment 
and  cfiiciency  of  the  two  great  educational  and  lit- 
erary institutions  of  Victorian  Methodism,  Wesley 
College,  and  the  Melbourne  Book  Depot.  He 
writes  (London,  September  25th,  1860),  "  I  am  de- 


termined, all  well,  to  keep  in  view  the  Grammar 
School  and  Book  Depot,  and,  if  spared  to  return, 
make  them  both  efficient ;  for  I  am  convinced  that 
on  these  two  agencies  rest  the  future  intelligence 
and  strength  of  Methodism."     This  conviction,  or 
rather  passion,  manifests  itself  ever  and  again  in  his 
letters,  especially  to  the  young.     Thus  he  concludes 
a  business  letter  to  his  junior  clerk  (London,  July 
17th,  1860) :  "  As  you  are,  I  know,  a  bit  of  a  stu- 
dent, I  may  tell  you  that  there  are  works  now  pub- 
lished well  adapted  to  direct  you  in  self-culture. 
Dr.  Beard's  '  Manual'  on  this  subject  prescribes  the 
regular  course  to  be  pursued  by  private  students  in 
their  leisure  moments.    If  you  want  this  or  any  other 
books,  I  should  be  glad  to  select  them  for  you."     In 
his  extensive  juvenile  correspondence  (one  of  his 
special  departments  of  usefulness)  such  urgent  in- 
centives as  the  following  incessantly  recur :  "  Be  sure 
you  cultivate  a  taste  for  reading ;  it  will  insensibly 
teach  you  how  to  think."     "  Study  will  find  you  a 
most  delightful  employment.     '  An  idle  brain  is  the 
devil's  workshop.' " 

The  religious  light  in  which  he  regarded  intel- 
lectual cultivation  is  strongly  shown  in  the  intro- 
duction to  his  paper  on  "  Self-Development,"  read 
to  the  Young  Men's  Mutual  Improvement  Society, 
Denbigh  Eoad,  Bayswater : 

The  improvement  of  the  mind  is  a  subject  on  which  the 
greatest  men  have  spoken  and  written.  You  may,  perhaps, 
wonder  then  that  I  should  have  the  rashness  to  attempt  such 
a  theme.  My  boldness,  I  hope,  however,  may  be  excused, 
when  I  say  that  my  sole  object  is  to  help  you  in  carrying  out 
12* 


274 


LIFE   OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


HIS   INTELLECTUAL   CULTURE. 


275 


IK" 


I 


your  noble  resolve  to  become  more  intelligent.  I  bear  in 
mind  that  many  of  the  members  of  this  Society  have  had  but 
few  educational  advantages,  and  are  desirous  of  educating 
themselves  ;  that  they  want  a  few  simple  and  practical  direc- 
tions how  to  proceed,  as  well  as  warnings  with  regard  to 
some  dangers  into  which  they  might  fall. 

I  have  had  long  experience  of  the  path  on  which  you  havo 
begun  to  travel.  At  the  age  of  twelve,  I  took  a  situation, 
knowing,  of  course,  nothing  beyond  the  barest  rudiments  of 
education  ;  and,  having  ever  since  been  engaged  in  business, 
have  had  to  depend  on  personal  efforts  in  spare  hours  for  any 
progress  in  self- culture. 

Many  a  time  have  I  felt  the  need  of  some  such  suggestions 
as  those  I  now  intend  giving  you.  I  speak  only  to  those  who, 
feeling  great  need  of  help,  are  willing  to  avail  themselves  of 
the  humblest  hints.  I  am  a  mere  finger-post,  pointing  to 
othei-s  who  will  teacli  you  how  to  make  the  best  use  of  your 
time,  and  how  to  proceed  straight  to  your  object.  They  will 
never  weary  of  your  questions.  Had  I  met  them  earlier  in 
life,  I  should  have  made  much  greater  progress,  and  should 
have  been  saved  much  misdirected  labor,  and  much  irrecover- 

aljle  time. 

The  thought  has  often  occurred  to  me — How  few  Chris- 
tians are  well  qualified  to  help  the  Church  !  The  want  of  a 
trained  capacity  unfits  the  majority  for  the  places  which  a 
minister  would  wish  them  to  fill.  The  intellect  of  the  greater 
number  is  left  undeveloped,  notwithstanding  the  express 
commandment  of  our  Lord,  "Occupy,  till  I  come!  "  Most 
are  content  with  such  knowledge  as  may  enable  them  to  gain 
the  places  and  profits  of  this  world.  They  undervalue  ac- 
quirements which  will  not  yield  ''  material"  advantages,  and 
therefore  remain  profoundly  ignorant  of  the  better  parts  of 
knowledge.  I  regard  this  Society  as  instituted  for  the  jmr- 
pose  of  making  war  on  your  own  individual  ignorance,  and 
developing  the  talents  which  God  has  given  you. 

That  development  is  best  which  is  gradual.  The  animals 
and  vegetables  longest  in  attaining  maturity  are  the  longest 


lived:  the  gourd  which  grew  up  in  a  night,  perished  in  a 
night.     If  your  desire  for  knowledge  be  so  eager  as  to  make 
you  impatient  of  the  first  steps,  it  will  prevent  your  acquiring 
any  knowledge  worth  having.      The  greatest  minds  have 
climbed  the  mountain  of  knowledge  by  slow,  successive  steps. 
The  members  on  whom  this  Society  will  eventually  bestow 
the  reward  of  merit  are  the  steady  (mes  who  have  already  the 
wisdom  not  to  be  in  a  hurry  ;  who  will  thoroughly  know  A 
before  they  go  on  to  B  ;  whose  attainments— as  far  as  they 
go-are  sound,  and  fully  to  be  relied  on.     Successful  students 
arc  those  who  did  not  make  feverish  haste,  but  were  content 
to  learn  each  day  a  little  well— not  disheartened  by  the  smaU 
progress  made,  if  each  day  they  knew  that  they  were  wiser  and 
l:>ett'cr  than  the  day  before.     Learning  became  part  of  their 
daily  duty,  and  sweetened  and  lightened  all  other  toil.     Their 
minds  opened  imperceptibly,  their  faculties  grew  ;  and,  at  the 
end  of  a  few  months,  they  were  astonished  at  the  facility  with 
which  knowledge  was  acquired.     As  the  leaves  of  a  flower 
open,  one  by  one,  successively,  yet  simultaneously,  so   one 
branch  of  learning  led  naturally  to  another ;  and  thus,  in  the 
course  of  years,  all  their  powers  received  culture  and  bore 
fruit.       Learning    in   this    gradual   way,    we   discover    our 
capabilities.      We  should  not,   however,    neglect  to  make 
occasional  experiments  upon  ourselves.     We  should  thus  find 
that  we  possess  talents,  of  the  existence  of  which  we  had  no 
suspicion.     Since  the  formation  of  this  Society,   have  not 
many   of   you   accomplished    what   previously   you  scarcely 
deemed  possible?    The  successful  attempts  of  some  acted  as 
a  stimulus  to  the  rest.     You  were  seized  with  an  impulse  to 
read,  to  speak,  to  write.     Never  neglect  such  impulses.     The 
powers  within   you  are  stmggling   to   get  free,  to  develop 
themselves  by  exercise.     Be  wise,  and  give  them  the  oppor- 
tunity  they   crave.     Do  not  repress  them  by  lethargy,  or 
strangle  them  by  pride  under  the  guise  of  modesty. 

Latent  talent  may  be  detected  by  the  discernment  of  others. 
Tliere  is  a  touching  preface  to  J.  S.  Mill's  work  on  Liberty, 
dedicated  to  his  deceased  wife,  in  which  he  acknowledges  that 


276 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


!  ! 


•1 


it  is  to  her  discernment  of  that  for  which  he  was  specially  fit- 
ted which  induced  him  to  attempt  his  great  work  on  Political 
Economy.  Last  year,  when  at  Spa,  in  Belgium,  I  called  upon 
a  doctor,  who,  seeing  me  look  at  some  pretty  water-color 
drawings,  said,  '*  Tliose  arc  from  my  own  pencil.  Two  years 
ago  I  knew  nothing  of  the  art,  but,  watching  a  landscape 
painter,  I  resolved  to  try  whether  I  had  any  talent  for  draw- 
ing. I  set  to  work  with  a  ^vill,  and  can  now  sketch  from 
nature,  and  find  it  a  most  delightful  occupation."  These 
few  instances  show  that  we  may  have  great  undiscovered  re- 
sources. 

Those  arc  not  virtuous  students  whose  object  is  to  shine 
before  the  more  ignorant.  Such  uicn  are  always  talking  of 
being  "up  to  the  age"  of  "progress,"  and  "the  marcli  of 
intellect,"  with  that  self-confidence  which  ignorance  confers. 
To  such  Thackeray's  advice  maybe  useful:  "I  would  cer- 
tainly wish  that  you  associate  with  your  superiors,  rather  than 
your  inferiors.  There  is  no  more  dangerous  or  stupefying 
position  for  a  man  in  life,  than  to  be  a  cock  of  swell  society. 
It  prevents  his  ideas  growing,  and  renders  him  intolerably 
conceited."  No!  we  must  love  knowledge,  because  in  ac- 
quiring it  we  arc  ob9ying  and  glorifying  God,  and  may  apply 
it  to  the  advantage  of  our  fellow-men.  These  are  the  only 
motives  becoming  intelligent  creatures,  whose  pursuit  of 
knowledge,  heginning  only  in  this  world,  will  be  continued 
through  eternity.  For  some  beautiful  thoughts  on  the  true 
motives  for  self-culture,  read  the  opening  chapters  in  Craik'a 
"Pursuit  of  Knowledge,"  from  which  let  me  quote  the  fol- 
lowing passage  for  our  encouragement :  "Everything  that  is 
known  has  been  found  out  by  some  person  or  other,  without 
the  aid  of  an  instructor.  There  is  no  species  of  learning, 
therefore,  which  even  self-education  may  not  overtake,  for 
there  is  none  which  it  has  not  actually  overtaken." 

But  what  is  the  order  of  procedure  ?  Well,  what  arc  your 
most  pressing  wants?  Begin  with  supplying  them.  Tlie 
knowledge  required  for  a  successful  pursuit  of  your  calling 
has  the  first  claim.     A  lad  resolved  to  be  a  carpenter  will  be 


HIS   INTELLECTUAL   CULTURE. 


277 


none  the  worse  for  obtaining  the  best  work  on  carpentry,  and 
studying  it  until  he  is  familiar  with  all  his  tools  and  their 
uses;  but  how  foolish  would  he  be  to  limit  his  knowledge  to 
that  one  particular !  We  can  only  converse  sensibly  on  what 
we  know;  therefore  our  friend  the  carpenter,  if  only  gifted 
with  a  thorough  knowledge  of  his  trade,  Vv^ould  be  no  com- 
panion for  an  intellectual  tailor.  A  knowledge  of  the  gram- 
mar of  one's  mother-tongue  is  the  first  requisite  after  a 
knovv'ledge  of  one's  vocation.  Some  attention  to  Cobbett's 
most  amusing  grammar  (written  by  a  self-educated  man) 
would  prevent  your  playing  tricks  with  the  English  lan- 
guage. 

Our  time  in  this  world  is  too  short  to  admit  of  our  learning 
many  things  well ;  but  we  have  plenty  of  time  to  study  some 
thoroughly,  and  to  attain  a  slight  acquaintance  with  many 
others.  At  the  risk  of  repeating  myself,  I  urge  upon  you 
this  rule,  Whatever  you  take  in  hand,  begin  at  th^  foundation  : 
whatever  you  know,  hiow  well.  If  you  read  at  random,  whether 
on  science  or  history,  you  will  destroy  your  power  of  orderly 
thinking.  All  will  be  confusion.  Happily,  experience 
teaches  the  self-educator  that  the  right  and  sure  way  to  make 
somid  progress  is  also  the  most  pleasant.  Resolve  to  pursue 
one  particular  subject.  Let  that  have  your  chief  attention. 
Do  something  at  it  every  day,  but  never  weary  yourself  over 
it.  Shut  the  book  the  moment  you  find  your  attention  flag- 
ging, but  never  relinquish  the  book  until  you  understand  it 
from  beginning  to  end. 

But  while  intent  on  mastering  the  one  subject,  you  are  not 
to  keep  to  that  exclusively.  You  wish  to  be  familiar  with 
the  history  of  your  own  country.  Whilst  pursuing  that,  you 
may  acquire  a  little  geography,  by  referring  to  a  gazetteer 
for  the  places  mentioned,  and  glance  at  the  contemporaneous 
history  of  other  countries,  always  making  those  collateral 
subjects  subordinate  to  your  English  history. 

You  may  wish  to  accumulate  facts  relating  to  subjects 
wliich  you  have  not  time  to  enter  into  thoroughly.  This  you 
may  readily  do  with  the  assistance  of  the  admirable  little 


278 


LIFE  OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


i' 


I 
I 


handbooks  published  by  Chambers,  Cassell,  and  others.  Tlicy 
give  an  outline  amply  sufficient  for  the  beginner.  More 
would  only  confuse  and  distract.  If  you  get  very  interested 
in  a  subject,  and  wish  to  go  more  thoroughly  into  it,  a  larger 
work  may  then  be  procured.  But  the  handbook  lays  the 
foundation,  the  superstructure  will  rise  almost  without  effort, 
by  subsequent  reading,  conversation,  and  reflection.  Get  the 
catalogues  of  W.  R.  Chambers  and  Cassell ;  you  will  then 
see  that  a  few  shillings  well  laid  out  will  procure  you  books 
sufficient  for  many  years  to  come.  Chamljers's  "Introduction 
to  the  Sciences  "  none  of  you  should  be  without.  It  is  a  small 
book,  which  you  may  read  through  in  a  few  houre ;  but  what 
a  field  will  it  open  to  your  view  1  Having  mastered  these 
handlwoks,  you  need  not  be  dumb  in  conversation,  since  you 
know  at  least  the  facts  on  which  a  science  rests.  Professing 
to  know  no  more  than  you  actually  do  know,  people  will  re- 
spect you,  and  will  gladly  add  to  your  stock  of  information. 
Hugh  Miller  and  Dr.  Kitto  did  not  complain  of  want  of  time 
or  lack  of  opportunity.  I  believe  that  both  of  them  were 
more  unfavorably  circumstanced  in  youth  than  any  of  you. 
Tlie  Doctor  hnngered  for  books,  and,  while  in  the  workhouse, 
contrived  to  raise  a  few  shillings  to  purchase  some,  and,  step 
by  step,  rose  to  be  one  of  the  firat  Biblical  scholars  of  the 

day. 

No  obstacles  can  prevent  a  man's  making  daily  acquisitions 
who  is  animated  by  a  love  of  knowledge.  Eyes  are  given  us 
for  the  purpose  of  observation.  Have  you  educated  them  ? 
Houdin,  the  French  conjuror,  used  to  get  his  audience  to  ex- 
hibit a  numljer  of  articles  at  once  for  a  few  seconds,  and 
upon  their  withdrawal  his  son  would  state  their  exact  num- 
ber and  describe  them  one  by  one.  On  collecting  the  articles, 
it  was  found  that  the  boy's  enumeration  and  descriptions 
were  correct.  Houdin  trained  him  to  accomplish  this  feat  in 
the  streets.  Li  passing  a  shop  window,  they  would  walk 
slowly  and  try  to  outvie  each  other  in  recollecting  the  num- 
ber of  articles  they  had  seen,  until  the  lad  could,  almost  at  a 
glance,  name  all  the  contents  of  a  shop  window.     Some  peo- 


HIS  INTEIXECTUAL  CtJLTDKE. 


279 


pie's  eyes  are  so  uneducated,  that  they  can  walk  through  the 
fields,  or  upon  the  seashore,  without  seeing  any  object  they 
can  specially  recall.  Their  walk  would  have  had  other  re- 
sults had  their  attention  been  roused  by  previous  reading  in 
botany  and  natural  history.  ' '  When  you  travel, "  says  John- 
son,  "take  knowledge  with  you,  if  you  wish  to  bring  any 
back."  "The  works  of  the  Lord  are  great,  sought  out  of  all 
them  that  have  pleasure  therein.^'' 

Our  adult  want  of  obseiTation  is  rebuked  by  little  children 
who  are  always  making  observations  and  incessantly  asking, 
* '  What  is  that  ? "     "  Wliy  is  it  so  ? "    Why  should  we  leave 
off  our  intelligent  inquiries,  and  cause  a  full-grown  brain  to 
be  more  lethargic  and  less  capable  every  day  we  live  ?     St. 
Pierre,  whilst  residing  in  Paris,  had  one  day  his  attention 
drawn  to  a  strawberry  plant  growing  in  a  pot.     For  advan- 
tage of  light  and  air,  he  had  placed  it  near  an  open  window. 
Presently  some  small  winged  insects  settled  upon  it,  which 
he  describes.     Some  of  them  shone  like  gold,  others  like  sil- 
ver or  brass ;  some  were  spotted,  some  striped,  others  blue, 
green,  brown,  chequered.     Tlie  heads  of  some  were  round, 
like   a  turban,   others   conical.     Here  seemed  to   be   a  tuft 
of  black  velvet,  there  a  sparkling  ruby.     He  dwells  on  the 
beauty  of  their  wings,  the  way  in  which  they  were  dis- 
posed, and  the  wonderful  mechanism  by  which  they  were 
propelled.  He  watched  the  plant  at  intervals,  and  found  that 
in  the  course  of  three  weeks  thirty-seven  different  species  of 
these  insects  had  visited  it.     He  describes  the  structure  of 
their  eyes,  shows  how  much  more  they  could  see  in  an  object 
than  a  man  with  the  most  powerful  microscope.     This  led 
him  to  examine  his  plant  with  a  lens.     He  found  the  leaves 
divided  into  compartments,  hedged  about  with  bristles  and 
divided  by  canals.     The  compartments  appeared  like  large 
verdant  inclosures,  the  bristles  seemed  to  resemble   curious 
kinds  of  vegetables,  some  forked,  others  hollowed  into  tubes, 
from  the  extremities  of  which  a  liquor  distilled,  whilst  the 
canals  seemed  filled  with  a  brilliant  fluid.     He  then  reflects 
on  the  varieties  of  the  strawberry  plant,  remarking  that  we 


t 


280 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


cultivate  but  twelve  kinds,  whilst  there  are  several  hundred, 
and  that  the  plant  is  found  in  almost  all  climates.  I  havo 
but  glanced  at  his  paper,  which  is  of  amazing  beauty.  He 
concludes  witli  the  observation,  that  "a  complete  history  of 
the  strawberry  plant  would  give  ample  employment  to  all  the 
naturalists  in  the  world." 

What  fear  is  there,  then,  of  our  ever  exhausting  nature,  as 
a  source  of  instruction,  if  one  common  plant  be  such  a  world 
of  wonders  !  "  O  Lord,  how  manifold  are  Thy  v/orks  !  In 
wisdom  liast  Thou  made  them  all :  the  earth  is  full  of  Thy 
riches !  "  Shouhl  not  such  wisdom  humble  us,  revealing  to 
us  the  insignificance  of  our  knowledge  ?  Should  not  our 
cheeks  flush  with  shame,  when  we  remember  liow  puffed  up 
wc  have  been  through  our  profound  ignorance  ? 

Knowledge  makes  humble  ;  ignorance  is  prond  : 
Knowledge  speaks  lowly  ;  ignorance  is  loud. 

Cultivate  a  sympathy  with  the  brute  creation.  The  more 
you  know  al)out  them,  the  more  you  will  admire  the  wisdom 
of  the  Creator,  and  will  learn  to  treat  them  with  considera- 
tion and  kindness.  Their  instincts,  their  reasoning  jDOw^ers, 
are  marvellous.  Captain  Hall  t^'lls  that  the  snow-huts,  so  ad- 
mirably adapted  to  the  Arctic  regions,  are  copied  by  the 
Greenlanders  from  the  seal.  He  also  mentions  the  cunning 
of  the  bear,  who,  when  he  finds  a  walrus  or  a  seal,  sleeping 
under  a  cliff,  carefully  climbs  to  the  summit,  and  kills  hia 
unsuspecting  victim,  Ijy  rolling  down  great  stones. 

All  early  formed  habit,  the  cultivation  of  which 
he  earnestly  recommended  to  others,  was  to  "  store 
the  memory  with  wholesome  sayings,  and  let  them 
act  as  a  spur  or  a  check  whenever  applicable." 


CHAPTER  XX. 

SERVICE   OF    TnE    CHURCH. 

We  have  seen  with  what  humility,  self-abnegation, 
and  industry,  Mr.  Powell,  from  the  date  of  his  con- 
version, devoted  himself  to  the  lowliest  duties  of  the 
simplest  departments  of  Church  work— those  of  the 
prayer-leader,  Sunday-school  teacher,  and  exhorter, 
and  how  highly  he  estimated  the  responsibilities  at- 
taching to  these  offices.  We  have  also  seen  how 
readily  he  consecrated  his  musical  talents,  vocal  and 
instrumental,  to  the  cause  of  God.  As  weahh,  lei- 
sure, and  intelligence  increased,  he  still  in  the  same 
spirit  of  unobtrusive  fidelity  dedicated  all  to  Christ. 
We  have  already  touched  upon  some  of  the  schemes 
of  Christian  philanthropy  on  which  his  heart  was 
set;  but  it  is  worth  while  to  give  a  few  extracts 
from  his  correspondence  with  regard  to  two  of  these 
objects — AVesley  College,  Melbourne,  and  the  Book 
Depot;  showing  that  he  devoted  mind  as  well  as 
money  to  the  enterprises  of  the  Church. 

To  the  Eev.  W.  Butters  he  writes : 

I  am  heartily  glad  you  have  filled  up  the  subscription  list 
for  Wesley  College  ^  but  I  hope  all  the  subscribers  have  paid. 
I  suppose  there  is  now  every  chance  of  the  College  making  a 
good  financial  return.     If  so,  I  hope  the  wish  I  expressed  at 


1^1 


282 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


its  commencement  will  have  the  attention  of  the  Committee, 
viz.,  that  all  the  profits  should  be  devoted  to  the  general  im- 
provement of  the  establishment.  I  suppose,  however,  that 
the  Committee  share  my  views  hi  this  respect.  The  ground, 
the  building,  the  interior  arrangements  for  the  physical 
comfort  of  the  pupils,  as  well  as  their  mental  advancement, 
should  be  constantly  improved  until  all  is  done  that  is  es- 
sential. 

The  Methodists  appear  to  have  lost  their  old  fire  in  giving 
their  energy  in  carrying  out  objects.  Long  experience  has 
taught  me  that  a  willmg  heart  is  more  wanted  than  means. 
Some  of  the  subscriptions  to  the  Grammar  School  surprised 
and  annoyed  me ;  others  were  more  than  I  could  have  ex- 
pected from  the  individuals. 

On  another  occasion  he  wrote : 

I  am  glad  to  leani  the  great  success  which  has  already  at- 
tended the  opening  of  the  College.  Wlien  it  gets  into  fair 
working  order,  it  will  have  still  greater  success.  I  should  be 
delighted  to  see  the  formation  of  a  good  library,  and  the 
school  rendered  each  year  more  and  more  efficient.  Dr. 
Corrigan  must  aim  at  making  it  the  best  school  in  the  colony, 
and  the  Committee  must  second  all  his  efforts  to  accomplish 
this. 

Not  content  with  the  gift  of  $7,500  to  that  one 
object,  he  devoted  to  it  invahiable  time,  and  an  in- 
calculable ontlay  of  mental  and  bodily  strength.  I 
quote  the  following  letters  to  show  how  all  his  busi- 
ness qualities  were  made  available  for  the  service  of 
the  Church : 

To  his  Managers  in  Melbourne^  dbotit  tlie  Orammar  School 

Bazaar. 

Worcester,  July  9th,  1857. 

I  forward  you  original  invoices  of  all  the  goods  that  have 


BEEVICE   OF   THE   CHURCn. 


283 


been  shipped,  a  very  attractive  lot.  I  have  spent  nearly  thi*ee 
weeks  over  this  matter,  and  hunted  through  most  of  the 
foreign  houses  to  select  fancy  goods.  I  was  at  heavy  travel- 
ling and  hotel  expenses,  besides  employing 's  buyer,  for 

which,  of  course,  I  had  to  pay.  I  think  it  would  serve  the 
bazaar,  if  a  good  advertisement  were  inserted  two  or  three 
weeks  beforehand,  stating  the  various  goods  as  selected  from 
the  manufacturers  of  England,  France,  Germany,  and  Swit- 
zerland. I  think  every  article  ought  to  be  marked  at  fair 
value,  in  plain  figures,  to  prevent  mistakes.  I  tliink  your 
best  plan  would  be  to  engage  a  good-sized  room,  and  as  you 
mark  off,  repack  the  goods,  and  send  them  to  the  bazaar  in 

their  cases.     I  wish  you  and to  superintend  this.     With 

some  goods  Mrs.  Drai)er  *  and  Mrs.  Bell  might  materially  aid 
you  in  fixing  the  value.  I  should  like  a  committee  of  gentle- 
men formed,  to  carry  out  all  the  arrangements  of  the  bazaar 
several  weeks  prior  to  its  opening ;  so  that  a  complete  code 
of  rules  may  be  drawTi  up,  and  strictly  carried  out.  This 
would  prevent  all  confusion.  It  will  be  worth  all  the  trouble 
bestowed,  as  I  anticipate  such  a  beautiful  assortment  of  goods, 
collected  with  much  care  and  labor  from  the  finest  ware- 
houses in  England,  will  prove  a  wonderful  attraction  to  the 
Victorians,  and  with  such  aid  as  I  believe  the  ladies  will  give, 
will  realize  something  like  $15,000.  I  shall  send,  next  mail, 
a  list  of  all  those  who  have  contributed  in  England,  f  with 
their  addresses,  that  their  contributions  may  be  acknowledged 
by  the  Bazaar  Committee.  Give  bazaar  credit  for  my  contri- 
bution of  $2,500,  and  mind  you  get  payment  for  balance 
out  of  bazaar  proceeds. 

One  advantage  of  a  bazaar,  or  "  sale  of  work,"  is, 
that  it  enables  persons  to  contribute  skill  and  labor 
as  well  as  money  in  aid  of  the  pecuniary  exigencies 
of  the  kingdom  of  God.     It  also  interests  them,  and 

♦  Wife  of  Rev.  D.  J.  Draper,  who  was  lost  in  the  "London." 
t  On  his  own  application. 


284 


LIFE   OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


SEEVICE   OF   THE  CHURCH. 


285 


m'  \ 


I 


I 


I 


Hi  < 


unites  them  in  the  religious  or  philanthropic  objects 
to  which  the  proceeds  are  dedicated.  It  should  not, 
however,  be  a  frequent  expedient,  for  reasons  indi- 
cated by  Mr.  Powell :  "  I  do  not  think  it  right  to 
hold  bazaars  for  Church  purposes  often,  as  that 
would  injuriously  interfere  with  small  shopkeepei*8 
in  the  fancy  trade." 

To  the  Rev.  D.  J.  Draper. 

London,  February  \\tli{  1858. 

The  plan  broached  l)y  some  of  our  leading  friends  of  mak- 
ing the  Grammar  School  a  joint-stock  business,  raising  the 
money  by  shares,  is  a  fallacy.  In  the  first  place,  I  do  not  be- 
lieve that  half  the  money  required  could  be  raised  ])y  shares; 
and  in  the  next,  I  want  to  know  what  security  you  could  offer 
the  shareholders,  since  neither  the  building  nor  the  ground 
will  be  theirs,  but  will  belong  to  the  Methodist  Connexion  ? 
Government  has  also  recognized  the  fact  that  to  build  gram- 
mar schools  subsidies  are  required.  Some  seem  to  think  that 
we  are  lowering  the  character  of  the  school  by  "descending  " 
to  a  bazaar,  as  that  will  fix  on  it  the  stigma  of  having  been 
raised  by  charitable  contributions.  But  the  bazaar  you  are 
about  to  hold  will  not  bo  an  affair  of  charity  :  people  will 
get  value  for  all  the  money  they  lay  out.  Should  the  school 
prove  a  profitable  one,  there  will  be  no  difiicultyin  disposing 
of  the  profits.  For  the  next  twenty  years,  all  that  we  can 
raise  in  that  way  will  be  absorl)ed  in  securing  efficient  appa- 
ratus and  a  good  library,  and  improving  the  property.  But 
had  the  school  belonged  to  a  proprietary,  who  might  insist 
on  dividends,  no  improvements  could  be  made.  No !  Let 
us  (if  possiV>le)  raise  the  school  free  from  obligations ;  and  if 
subscribers  want  any  return,  let  them  have  it  in  the  privilege 
of  sending  one  or  more  scholars — free — for  a  certain  period. 

I  hoi^e  you  will  adopt  the  siime  system  as  you  did  in  build- 
ing your  chapels,  viz.,  give  a  premium  for  the  best  plan. 
Let  us  have  a  school  which  will  do  the  Wesleyans  credit  a 


century  hence ;  and  let  us  rather  wait  for  funds  than  spoil  so 
important  a  structure  for  want  of  capital. 

To  the  Rev.  J.  S.  Waugh,  President  of  Wesley  College,  Mel- 

bourne. 

London,  St.  Dunstan's  Buildings, 
January  24:th,  1866. 

My  dear  Sir, 

I  address  you  as  to  one  or  two  matters  connected  with  the 
Insritution  to  which  you  have  been  appointed  President, 
which  liave  arisen  through  the  foundering  of  the  ill-fated 
*' London."  I  saw  much  of  our  dear  friends,  the  Drapers, 
while  in  England,  they  having  stayed  at  my  house  for  a  fort- 
night, and  spent  Christmas  day  with  me.  Mrs.  Powell  and 
myself  were  the  last  persons  they  bade  adieu  to  in  London. 
We  saw  them  depart  from  the  Paddington  station  to  Ply- 
mouth, on  the  first  inst.  My  last  conversation  with  him  was 
in  reference  to  Wesley  College.  T  was  anxious  that  an  effort 
should  be  made  to  place  the  Institution  in  a  good  position 
before  he  left  Melbourne.  He  replied,  that  he  would  make 
it  his  first  business  on  landing,  to  see  what  could  T)e  done ; 
adding,  that  he  intended  giving  $1,000  himself,  and  should 
endeavor  to  get  four  friends  to  join  in  making  up  $5,000,  and 
then,  by  a  general  subscription,  raising  a  total  of  $7,500,  so 
as  to  secure  my  $5,000  within  the  stipulated  time.  With 
the  "London"  was  lost  the  stock  of  books  which  Dr.  Corri- 
gan  and  I  selected.  Fortunately,  I  had  insured  them,  and 
will,  if  possible,  send  you  a  duplicate  list  by  "Great  Brit- 


am. 


?> 


It  is  very  consoling  in  the  midst  of  our  distress  to  know 
that  Mr.  Draper's  faith  did  not  fail  him  in  the  hour  of  trial, 
and  that  for  twenty-four  hours  before  the  vessel  went  down, 
he  labored  incessantly  for  the  salvation  of  the  passengers. 

Mind  that  the  profits,  after  you  are  out  of  debt,  are  all  de- 
voted to  making  the  establishment  most  complete — improving 
the  property,  founding  a  library,  and  scholarships.  Not  a 
penny  of  College  profits  must  be  diverted.     I  am  glad  to  leara 


286 


LIFE  OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


SERVICE  OF  THE  CIIURCn. 


287 


that  you  arc  so  heartily  engaged  in  the  greatest  work  of  all 
— the  work  of  God — whether  in  erecting  chapels  and  schools, 
or  preaching  Christ. 

To  the  Rev.  P.  Wells. 

(Extract.)  London,  Fehruary  19^A,  1861. 

I  AM  most  anxious  for  the  prosperity  of  this  institution 
(the  Book  Depot),  and  would  give  to  any  orders  you  may 
forward  (for  books)  double  the  attention  I  should  bestow  on 
an  ordinary  l)usiness  transaction. 

It  is  an  object  near  my  heart  to  promote  the  sale  of  religious 
publications  in  Victoria,  for  the  public  good. 

To  tlie  R&D.  W.  L.  B'lnhs. 

London,  6,  Broad  Street  Buildings, 

(Extract.)  May  25th,  1861. 

My  dear  Mr.  Binks. 

Your  appointment  to  the  office  of  book  steward  has 
delighted  me,  and  I  cannot  but  congratulate  the  Conference 
on  their  choice.  I  think  you  are  aware,  from  painful  exi)e- 
rience,  that  flattery  is  not  my  forte.  But,  in  common  justice 
I  will  Siiy,  that  you  have  the  requisite  qualities  to  make  the 
Book  Room  a  great  success.  It  is  a  noble  task  that  you  have 
undertaken.  There  is  not  a  finer  field  in  Victoria  than  the 
one  you  have  entered  upon  for  the  exercise  of  the  best  quali- 
tic  s  of  the  head  and  heart ;  but  the  work  is  great ;  it  will  de- 
mand your  whole  energies  for  "the  six  days;  "  and  I  do 
hope  you  will  be  set  apart  for  it.  It  is  impossible  to  esti- 
mate the  influence  of  such  a  concern  in  ijromoting  the  piety  and 
intelligence  of  the  whole  Church  in  Victoria,  and  I  do  hope 
that  the  Wesleyan  Church  will  gradually  awake  to  the  value 
of  such  an  auxiliary  as  the  Book  Depot,  and  that  both  minis- 
ters and  laymen  will  strengthen  and  encourage  you  to  the 
utmost.  I  hope  you  will  adopt  a  wise  and  liberal  policy — 
that  your  mam  object  will  be  the  good  of  the  people,  that  you 
will  sell  at  a  very  moderate  rate  of  profit,  and  that  you  will 
advertise  and  circulate  your  books  to  the  widest  extent.     Do 


not  weaken  your  central  depot  by  scattering  its  contents  into 
little  lots  in  the  various  Circuits  ;  thus  keeping  your  shelves 
empty.  That  plan  will  serve  when  you  have  more  stock  than 
you  require.  At  present,  always  keep  a  good  stock  in  Mel- 
bourne. It  will  soon  get  wind  throughout  the  country  and 
the  surrounding  colonics  that  you  have  a  well-assorted  stock, 
that  they  can  always  rely  on  getting  an  order  supplied  at  the 
central  depot,  and  your  connection  will  be  large  and  steady. 
Sell  only  for  cash,  and  for  all  who  want  to  sell  again  have  a 
uniform  rate  of  discount,  no  matter  if  the  applicant  be  here- 
tic, Turk,  or  Jew.  Your  business  is  to  sell,  and  let  the  Word 
have  "  free  course."  I  will  write  to  the  New  York  "  Con- 
cern "  and  get  you  their  catalogues.  I  promise  for  the  first 
two  years  to  make  you  a  present  of  $250  in  books,  and  shall 
select  them  from  all  the  publishers  that  I  think  will  do  you 
service.  I  have  written  to  Mr.  Whitney,  requesting  him  to 
grant  you  a  loan,  at  any  time,  to  the  extent  of  $500,  without 
interest. 

To  the  Rev.  W.  L.  Bin'ks. 

(Extract.)  London,  June  9iA,  1861. 

My  anxiety  to  give  you  all  the  information  I  possess,  and 
to  make  every  suggestion  that  might  promote  the  best  inter- 
ests of  the  institution  of  which  you  have  charge,  must  be 
my  apology  for  the  formidable  dimensions  my  letters  have 
assumed.  AVhat  I  have  done  to  give  the  Depot  a  fair  start, 
has  drawn  heavily  upon  my  time,  which,  with  a  business 
of  the  magnitude  of  the  one  I  now  manage,  is  of  great 
value ;  and  when  I  tell  you  tiiat  I  have  from  thirty  to  forty 
other  correspondents,  you  will  admit  that  I  have  made  some 
sacrifice.  It  is  not  to  procure  such  an  admission  that  I  allude 
to  it ;  I  only  wish  to  prove  that  Victorian  interests  are  still 
precious  to  me,  and,  by  acts,  convince  old  friends  that  I 
have  not  forgotten  them.  I  may,  i)erhaps,  have  gone  beyond 
your  wishes  in  some  things.  Should  this  be  the  case,  I  am 
quite  willing  to  receive  your  corrections  along  with  your  sug- 
gestions as  to  how  I  can  serve  you  better.     That  you  should 


288 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


SERVICE   OF  THE   CnUECII. 


289 


i^i 


have  a  wide  and  varied  choice  appeared  to  me  essential.  I 
have  therefore  not  only  procured  you  catalogues,  but  liave 
selected  a  little  over  $500  worth  of  samples  from  various 
sources.  It  is  impossible  for  you  to  form  a  correct  idea  of 
books,  etc.,  from  catalogues — the  samples  will  at  once  throw 
a  flood  of  light  upon  the  matter,  and  will  enable  you  with 
great  facility  to  make  up  your  future  orders.  I  enclose  an 
order  on  my  firm  for  §125  additional  towards  shelving,  etc. 
I  think  this  ought  to  be  done  in  a  nice  manner.  The  fact 
that  the  profits  of  the  institution  are  eventually  destined  to 
the  worn-out  ministers,  ought  to  induce  some  effort.  Why 
not  invite  to  a  social  tea-meeting  all  those  likely  to  sympa- 
thize with  such  an  object  ?  You  might  then  state  what  you 
hoped  to  accomplish  with  the  Book  Depot,  and  urge  the 
claims  of  the  old  preachere  upon  the  gratitude  of  those  to 
whom  they  have  devoted  their  best  days.  You  might  also 
urge  the  necessity  of  creating  a  small  capital  to  give  stability 
and  insure  success  to  your  new  enteiprise.  You  might  take 
advantage  of  tlie  same  meeting  to  distribute  the  lists  of 
books  sent  by  this  mail  among  them,  and  then  endeavor  to 
secure  subscribers  for  magazines,  newspapers,  etc.,  stating 
that  you  would  at  all  times  be  ready  to  send  for  any  religious 
works  required. 

What  are  you  going  to  do  with  regard  to  tracts  ?  You 
ought  to  have  a  good  supi)ly.  Of  all  religious  publications 
you  should  have  such  a  stock  on  hand,  and  so  well-sustained 
by  quarterly  importations,  that  every  Methodist  shall  have 
the  conviction  tliat  most  of  his  wants  of  that  kind  can  be  sup- 
plied from  your  Depot.  Aim  at  making  your  establishment 
perfect ;  watch  your  stock  carefully  ;  and,  if  possible,  guard 
against  running  out  of  essential  works. 

As  some  publications  will  pay  a  larger  jjrofit  than  others, 
the  husiness  members  of  Committee  must  aid  you  on  this 
point,  as  it  requires  discretion  and  erperience  to  regulate 
prices.     Some  books  must  ]>e  sold  at  almost  cost  price. 

To  arrive  at  the  exact  cost  of  your  books,  you  must  calcu- 
late the  charges  on  every  shipment,  to  ascertain  the  proportion 


they  bear  to  Xka^t  net  value  of  the  books  ;  and,  of  course,  add 
the  proportion  to  the  net  cost.  In  the  charges  you  must  not 
only  reckon  freight,  insurance,  commission,  and  other  items 
connected  with  the  transit,  but  also  the  cost  of  the  cases  and 
packing,  and  then  add  to  the  whole  twelve  months'  interest 
at  eight  per  cent.  When  your  first  shipment  arrives,  get  Mr. 
Whitney  to  assist  you.  On  every  book  and  packet  I  should 
mark  the  cost  and  wholesale  price  in  private  letters,  and  the 
retail  price  in  plain  figures.  I  think  it  will  be  quite  legiti- 
mate for  your  Depot  to  sell  all  kinds  of  sacred  music.  I  have 
sent  you  Novello's  catalogue ;  and  if  you  wish  to  encourage 
the  sale  of  music,  I  will  send  you  R.  Cocks  and  Co.'s  cata- 
lo«-ue.  I  have  selected  you  a  few  examples  of  anthems, 
chants,  and  tune-books  :  you  will  see  how  you  get  on  with 
them.     With  regard  to  publishers, — 

1.  Gall  and  Inglis,  Edinburgh,  lay  themselves  out  for 
such  works  as  Sunday-schools  require.  I  send  you  one  of 
their  catalogues,  with  the  tradt3  prices  marked.  They  will 
allow  a  further  discount  for  cash,  of  at  least  ten  per  cent. 

2.  Glass  and  Duncan,  Glasgow,  publish  small  reward  books, 
tickets,  and  a  "Child's  Monthly  Newspaper."  I  shall  for- 
ward samples. 

8.  Varty  and  Co.  get  up  many  nice  works  for  children  and 
schools,  but  only  allow  discount.  I  send  their  cata- 
logue. 

4.  Tract  Society  and  Conference  Office.     you  know 

well. 

5.  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge.  This  is  a 
well-managed  institution.  It  is  a  treat  to  go  to  their  great 
depository.  I  hope  you  will  look  as  well  when  your  shelves 
are  arranged  and  the  counters  up.  This  Society  publishes 
many  admirable  books  for  children.  I  have  made  you  a 
selection  from  all  their  new  things.  Their  picture-tickets 
and  picture-cards  are  very  beautiful.  Of  these  I  send  an 
ample  supply.  They  allow  a  liberal  discount,  forty  per 
cent. 

6.  Sunday-school  Union. — Only  order  from  the  Union  such 

13 


I 


290 


LIFE   OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


t. 


™''f 


works  as  they  publish.    Go  to  the  fountain  head  for  all  you 
want. 

7.  Groombridge  and  Son  publish  many  useful  works.  I 
have  selected  a  few. 

8.  Darton  and  Son  devote  themselves  to  juvenile  publica- 
tions. I  have  made  a  large  selection.  Their  catalogue  will 
repay  perusal. 

9.  Hayman  Brothers  have  published  two  or  three  cheap 
tune-books,  of  which  I  send  a  few  that  I  think  will  serve 
you. 

To  Beo.  D.  J.  Draper, 
(Extract.)  London,  December  M,  1860. 

I  must  burden  my  gift  with  three  conditions,  which  I  hope 
you  will  not  think  unreasonable:  that  Mr.  B.'s  appointment 
to  the  Book  Depot  be  for  at  least  two  years;  that  the 
trustees  will  never  again  impose  any  rent  on  the  Book 
Depot ;  and  that  they  exempt  me  from  all  further  obligations 
in  the  debts  of  Wesley  Church.  With  the  exception  of  Mr. 
B.'s  appointment,  the  other  matters  are,  I  think,  proposed  ]jy 
yourself.  I  am  most  anxious  about  tlie  Depot.  The  attempt 
to  burden  it  with  a  rent  wlien  there  were  no  funds  but  what  I 
had  supplied,  was  not  fair !   I  am  determined,  as  far  as  I  can, 

to  protect  it,  until  it  has  some  strength.     I  have  told to 

hand  you  bills  to  the  amount  of  $2,500 ;  and  also  that  he  is 
to  double  any  amount  raised  for  the  St.  Kilda  Church,  not 
exceeding  $2,500. 

It  is  not  well  to  clog  a  gift  with  conditions.  Mr. 
Powell  felt  this;  but  lie  would  not  throw  away 
money  on  badly-managed  institutions,  or  give  money 
for  one  urgent  objecit  which  he  saw  would  inevitably 
be  drawn  to  the  relief  of  another  and  much  less 
pressing  affair. 

To  the  liev.  D.  J.  Draper. 
(Extract.) 
My  deak  Mii.  Draper, 
I  do  not  wish  to  make  this  matter  a  difficulty  ;  my  desire 


June  l^t\  1861. 


SERVICE  OF  THE  CHUKCH, 


291 


being  to  afford  real,  not  sham  help.  While  I  wish  to  help 
the  Trustees  of  Wesley  Church,  my  chief  sympathy  is,  as  you 
are  aware,  with  the  Book  Depot.  I  wish  to  see  it  firmly 
established;  and,  since  it  is  weak,  and  I  feel  much  interest 
in  it,  I  must  insist  upon  my  conditions,  merely  requiring  that 
which  is  easy.  I  think,  to  the  success  of  this  institution,  the 
reappointment  of  Mr.  Binks  is  necessary.  To  remove  the 
manager  of  an7j  l)usiness  so  shortly  after  liis  appointment 
would  be  destructive.  I  have  a  right  to  look  well  to  this 
matter,  being  the  only  one  who  lias  given,  anytliing  to  insure 
its  success. 

Mr.  Buttei-s'  arrival  in  Victoria  looks  like  a  preparation  for 
your  voyage  to  England,  since  I  can  hardly  imagine  that 
the  Church  can  afford  two  men  of  your  exj)erience  in  one  dis- 
trict. 


June  l^th,  1801. 


To  Rev.  W.  T.  Binls. 
(Extract.) 
My  dear  Mr.  Binks, 

You  have  done  well  in  boldly  ordering  a  good  stock  of 
books.  Your  keeping  shop  comparatively  without  stock  was 
ridiculous,  and  would  speedily  have  insured  the  failure  of 
your  enterprise.  You  must  not  be  higher  in  your  prices,  but 
on  the  whole,  lower  for  religloua  works.  While  the  Book 
Depot  is  made  to  pay  a  moderate  profit,  forget  not  that  the 
grand  object  is  to  spread  truth  and  convert  souls.  I  shall  be 
glad  of  Church  news. 

To  Rev.  J).  J.  Draper. 

October  22d,  1801. 

My  dear  Mr.  Draper, 

It  gives  me  great  satisfaction  that  the  Trustees  of  Wesley 
Church  have  placed  themselves  in  a  position  to  receive  my 
$2,500.  I  have  heard  that  those  gifts  are  of  the  greatest 
value  that  cause  some  self-denial  on  the  part  of  the  donor. 
When  I  tell  you — for  your  own  eye  and  ear  only — that  my 
drawing-room  remains  unfurnished  this  year  in  consequence 


n 


292 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


SERVICE   OF   THE   CHURCH. 


293 


I 


of  the  help  I  have  Bent  to  St.  Kilda,  you  will  admit  yome 
sacrifice  has  been  made.  I  hope,  however,  to  realize  such  a 
love  to  Him  who  had  "  not  where  to  lay  His  head,"  as  to  do 
much  "greater  things  than  these"  before  "the  pitcher  is 
broken  at  the  fountain."  It  is  pleasing  to  find  that  Robinson 
is  devoting  himself  to  the  work  in  such  a  noble  way.  You 
certainly  have  made  the  $2,500  grow  to  very  respectable 
dimensions.  As  regards  the  Book  Room,  business  to  succeed 
must  be  done  in  a  business-like  manner.  I  have  heard  in 
public  meetings  Methodism  praised  more  than  Clirist— the 
scaffolding  attracting  more  attention  than  the  Architect !  I 
have  been  placed  on  the  Committee  of  the  Metropolitan 
Building  Fund,  but  not  having  contributed— could  not,  at 
present — I  would  not  go  to  vote  away  the  money  of  othei-s. 

To  the  Rev.  W.  T.  Binka. 

London,  6,  Broad  Street  Buildings, 

June  nth,  1861. 

My  dear  Mr.  Binks, 

The  office  that  has  been  assigned  you,  I  am  persuaded,  is 
one  of  the  most  responsible  you  have  ever  been  intrusted 
with.  I  believe  that  the  influence  of  the  Depot  for  good  will 
be  in  proportion  to  the  exertions  of  yourself  and  the  Com- 
mittee, and  that,  rightly  exercised,  it  will  be  such  a  lever  in 
raising  Methodist  piety  and  intelligence  in  Australia,  as  your 
Church  little  dreams  of.  You  must,  however,  be  wise  and 
liberal  upon  the  broadest  basis.  You  must  be  willing  to  wel- 
come publications  from  every  source,  provided  they  are  good 
and  cheap.  Setting  out  on  such  a  free-trade  track,  you  will 
win  the  respect  and  gratitude  of  the  Victorian  population, 
and  have  substantial  proofs  of  their  favor  in  the  large  and 
profitable  trade  the  Depot  will  soon  be  doing. 

I  have  spared  no  pains  since  the  last  mail  left  to  make  a 
selection  from  various  publishers  of  books  suitable  for  your 
Depot.  In  selecting  the  newest  and  most  attractive  things 
that  have  been  recently  published  I  have  spent  days. 


To  the  Rev.  W.  T.  Binks. 


London,  1861. 


My  dear  Mr.  Binks, 

It  is  vain  to  think  that  the  concern  will  succeed  if  you  are 
not  set  apart  to  it.  To  attempt  the  duties  of  a  Circuit  in 
connection  with  the  Depot  would  be  ruin  to  the  Depot.  I 
am  now  an  old  hand  at  business,  and  know  that  it  requires 
undivided  attention.  If  you  l)c  not  set  apart  for  the  work, 
give  it  up.  If  not,  sorrow  is  in  store  for  you.  \Vliy  should 
you  not  be  set  apart  for  this  work?  You  could  still  preach 
on  Sundays,  and  the  importance  of  developing  so  mighty  an 
agency  ot  good  may  well  be  set  against  all  you  could  accom- 
plish in  a  Circuit. 

To  prophesy  failure  of  a  concern  that  has  not  yet  been 
fully  tried  is  the  mark  of  a  feeble  mind,  or  else  of  envious 
opposition.  To  strengthen  your  hands  I  enclose  an  addi- 
tional order  upon  my  firm.  You  may  be  sure  I  have  plenty 
to  do  with  all  my  spare  money:  still,  I  cannot  spend  m- 
money  better.  "  Wisdom  and  knowledge"  should  be  "  tk 
stability  "  of  the  times,  and  preaching  alone  will  never  giva 
this.  People  to  be  steadfast  must  read.  Take  care  of  your- 
self, and  may  God  preserve  you  to  the  Depot. 

The  amount  of  his  subscriptions  to  the  Book 
Depot  up  to  the  end  of  1861  was  $3,875. 

October  lltA,  1866. 

I  am  sorry  to  learn  that  your  Book  Room  only  pays  ex- 
penses. Would  the  "Chronicle"  be  more  attractive  in  a 
.  newspaper  f onn  ?  Must  you  have  so  much  space  taken  up 
with  accounts  of  local  meetings  ?  Tliese  might  be  noticed ; 
but  the  speeches  of  John  Jones  and  Timothy  Snooks,  on  the 
affecting  occasion  of  presenting  their  ministci-s  with  a  teapot, 
are  not  sufficiently  instructive,  or  even  amusing,  to  be  re- 
ported in  f  ulL 

He  then  recommends  that  a  considerable  portion 


^1 


if. 


294 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


ll'ii 


iT 


of  the  "  Chronicle  "  should  consist  of"  extracts  from 
works  of  the  greatest  celebrity  and  in  the  highest 
style  of  composition  ;  "  and  that  the  "  Poet's  Corner" 
should  not  be  "  filled  with  the  effusions  of  every 
giisher^^  to  the  exclusion  of  the  beautiful  composi- 
tions of  our  standard  poets.  "  Those  trashy  local 
effusions — smite  them  hip  and  thigh  with  the  weapon 
tliat  forms  the  distinctive  part  of  their  author's  own 
development.  *  Clear  your  minds  of  cant,'  was  an 
axiom  of  Dr.  Johnson — in  my  opinion,  a  liealthy 
one."  After  all,  he  admits  that  such  information 
"  as  "  .  .  .  "is  much  needed  to  promote  a  sympa- 
thetic feeling  among  the  various  Circuits." 

lie  drew  up  an  elaborate  report  on  the  best  con- 
stitution for  the  Committee  of  Manairement  and  the 
mode  of  conducting  its  business. 

When  Mr.  Powell  found  himself  fairly  settled 
down  in  London,  he  devoted  himself  to  the  service 
of  the  Church  there  as  unweariedly  as  he  had  done 
in  Melbourne. 

A  noble  Christian  simplicity  breathes  through 
the  following  extract  from  a  letter  to  a  friend  in 
Melbourne : 

London,  November  21«^,  1862. 

My  work  at  present  is  in  a  Sabbath-school.  I  occasion- 
ally address  the  children  and  teachers,  and  now  I  have  begun . 
intend  to  embrace  sucli  opportunities  as  may  present  them- 
selves to  speak  at  public  meetings  on  religious  sul)jccts,  so 
as  to  attain  greater  efficiency.  You  think  I  "  may  sit  down 
in  the  House  of  Commons."  That  is  not  my  vocation,  at  any 
rate  not  my  taste.  My  desire  is  after  giving  up  business  to 
devote  myself  completely  to  religious  and  philanthropic 
movements.     I  hope  I  may  be  spared  to  labor  abundantly  in 


SERVICE   OF   THE   CHUKCH. 


295 


this  way  before  my  Lord  calls  me  hence.     Let  every  one 
glorify  God  in  the  way  he  is  best  fitted  for. 

Throughout  he  acted  on  the  motto  of  Lord  Somers, 
"  ProdesBC  qudm  eonspici  ;  "  he  had  rather  be  ser- 
viceable than  conspicuoiis.     Yet  he  aimed  at  the 
highest  efficiency.     On  ifnding  himself  summoned 
to  usefulness    upon  the   platform,  he  put  himseit 
through  a  regular  course  of  training  under  a  protes- 
sionaf  elocutkmist.     He  was  incessantly  urging  his 
friends  to  work  as  well  as  to  give ;  e.  g.,  "  Do  not 
give  way  to  frivolous  pleasures,  even  if  you  can  de- 
fend them  and  prove  them  innocent.     You  can  em- 
ploy your  time  better  and  more  nobly.     I  hope  if 
you  have  been  dnly  presented  with  a  license  as  a  lay 
reader  in  the  Church,  that  you  will  throw  yourself 
into  the  work.     You  will  soon  find  whether  God  has 
called  you  to  it.    Mr.  Buttei-s  tells  me  that  through 
earnest  application  and  sincere  devotion  C.  II.  G-. 
has  become  a  most  acceptable  preacher.     He  was  in 
circumstances  similar  to  yours.     Work  while  it  is 
day  in  whatever  sphere  of  usefulness  you  may  find 
yourself :  if  not,  listlessness  will  grow  into  a  settled 
habit,  and  spoil  all  your  plans  of  usefulness." 
To  friends  in  Melbourne  and  Tasmania : 

January,  1866. 

My  course  is  just  the  same  as  when  you  were  here.  I  work 
at  business  and  for  the  Church,  and  am  now  engaged  about 
a  small  chapel  we  wish  to  erect  near  Bayswatcr.  It  is  in  a 
very  destitute  part  of  London,  where  ten  years  ago  there  were 
not  five  hundred  people,  but  now  a  population  of  from 
twenty-five  thousand  to  thirty  thousand.     They  belong  chiefly 


296 


LITE  OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


SERVICE   OF   THE   CHrECIL 


297 


to  the  laboring  classes ;  few  of  them  attend  a  place  of  worship. 
London  would  appal  you  in  many  parts  with  its  rapid  growth 
and  spiritual  destitution.  Vast  exertions  are  being  made  by 
all  denominations;  but  to  barely  overtake  the  increase  re- 
quires fifty  or  sixty  new  places  of  worship  every  year.  The 
pressure  upon  one  from  every  quarter  to  give  is  wonderful — 
deputations,  collectors,  letters;:  reports,  etc.,  a  man  who  has 
anything  to  give  is  now  flooded  with,  so  that  a  systematic 
plan  is  one's  only  relief  and  safety. 

We  have  a  good  plan  in  our  Circuit  of  inviting  our  congre- 
gations once  a  year  to  tea.  We  then  address  them  on  various 
matters,  urging  them  to  duty  and  decision  and  anything  else 
that  will  make  them  better  and  happier.  Tlie  tract-distrib- 
utors get  up  annually  a  similar  meeting,  inviting  chiefly  the 
poor  among  whom  they  labor,  and  urging  them  to  accept  the 
Gospel.  Our  Sunday-school  superintendents  also  give  an 
annual  tea  to  the  parents*  of  the  children  who  attend  our 
schools.  The  teachers  call  upon  the  parents  individually. 
They  are  thus  brought  into  personal  contact,  which  establishes 
a  sympathy  between  them.  Our  Parents'  Tea  •Meeting  is  a 
grand  event.  They  are  addressed  by  ministers  and  laymen 
on  their  responsibilities  and  duties  as  parents.  It  is  shown 
them  that  these  can  only  be  discharged  by  the  grace  of  God. 
Those  who  are  not  limng  members  of  the  Church  are  then 
urged  to  become  so.  Such  meetings  as  these  develop  the  best 
feelings  of  the  heart.  They  afford  scope  for  the  talent  of 
many  excellent  people  who  but  for  such  meetings  would  never 
know  their  own  gifts.  They  create  also  that  kindly  sympa- 
thy which  is  the  golden  link  ])etween  the  poor  and  their 
brethren  who  are  "  l>etter  off,"  instead  of  the  gnawing  envy 
which  forms  an  impassable  gulf.  I  hope  that  if  you  have 
none  of  these  periodical  gatherings  you  will  try  to  promote 
them  in  Launceston. 

Is  it  not  instructive  that  one  so  given  to  self-an- 
alysis should  yet  be  so  healthily  outward  and  vigor- 
ously objective  %     It  is  clear  that  his  sensitive  and 


searchbg  introspection  did  neither  overstrain  nor 

distort  his  mental  vision. 

How  well  it  was  for  Melbourne  that,  in  the  founa- 
tive  period  of  its  history,  it  developed  so  inany  m- 
t  Iligent,  energetic,  high-principled,  ^f^^^^;'^ 
ing  citizens  1    Mr.  Powell  was  almost  to  the  last  a 
Mdboume  man,  regarding  London  as  only  bs  tem- 
porary residence.    He  writes :  ■ "  I  canno  hdp  .gl> 
in<r  for  Australia."    And  agam  m  1861 .     What! 
hat-e  done  and  intend  doing  in  Australia  necessa- 
rily limits  my  giving  in  England.    This  you  may 
suppose  is  painful,  since  1  am  constantly  solicited^ 
I  must  do  the  best  1  can  and  leave  the  rest  with 

God." 

13» 


i 


n 


\ 


HIS  HOME  TKAITS. 


299 


il! 


1  \ 


fif 


II  ; 


il 


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fWH 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

HIS   HOME   TRAITS,   GENIALITY,   FRANKNESS,   AND 

AFFECTION. 

A  YOUNG  Irishman,  preaching  from  the  text, 
"  Perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God,"  instructed 
his  audience  qnite  as  much  as  he  startled  tliem  by 
his  introductory  sentence :  "  The  first  thing  I  have 
to  say  about  holiness,  brethren,  is.  There's  nothing 
shabby  in  it."  If  there  had  been,  it  would  have 
been  strangely  out  of  keeping  with  the  character  of 
Walter  Powell,  whose 

*'  Eye,  when  turned  on  empty  space, 
Beamed  keen  with  honor." 

A  very  inadequate  and  even  misleading  idea  of 
Mr.  Powell's  personality  would  be  given  without 
those  minor  traits  which  may  be  regarded  as  the 
JllUng  in  of  a  true  portraiture.  Though  his  charac- 
ter had  a  bold  contour,  with  pronounced  features, 
yet  it  bore  no  hardness  or  sharpness  of  outlines.  He 
was  no  smooth  model  of  a  man,  but  presented  a 
strongly-marked  individuality.  In  committee  he 
was  often  eager,  and  almost  overbearing,  when  in- 
tent on  carrying,  against  tlie  inertness  or  timidity  of 
others,  some  scheme,  of  the  utility,  imix)rtance,  and 
urgency  of  which  he  was  deeply  convinced.     In 


society  he  was  chatty,  communicative ;  fond  of  trot- 
tincr  out  hobbies,  and  showing  their  best  paces ;  full 
of  anecdotes  and  apologues ;  a  strange  combmation 
of  earnestness  and  abandon. 

His  overflowing  humor,  and  his  keen  sense  of  the 
ludicrous,  were,  nevertheless,  in  perfect  harmony 
with  his  rare  business  ability,  his  intense  sensitive- 
ness of  conscience  and  his  earnest  devotion.  His 
pleasantries  were  but  the  outgushings  of  a  spirit, 
which  had  caught  its  cheerful  tones  from  the  songs 
of  the  seraphs.  His  laugh  had  in  it  the  ring  of  a 
Christmas  chorus : 

"  Peace  and  good-wiU,  good-wiU  and  peace  ; 
Peace  and  good-wiU  to  all  mankind." 

In  his  journal  he  sets  down  smart  replies  and 
happy  hits  in  common  conversation.  Of  course, 
there  is  very  little  quotable  in  this  bubbling  of  good- 
natured  mother-wit.  But  our  sketch  would  be  in- 
complete without  a  dash  of  his  light-hearted  play- 
fulness. In  his  confidential  letters  he  would  burst 
out  into  madcap  rhyme. 

To  Mrs.  Poicell. 
(Extract.)         Hyde  Pakk  Square,  August  mh,  1861. 

WeU !  shall  we  do  the  grand  ?  Must  we  fall  back  on 
Upper  Hyde  Park,  with  its  huge  rent  and  bumptious  preten- 
sions ?    What  are  two  poor  Methodists  to  do  ?     However,  I 

shall  confer  with  A ,  and  sec  what  mischief  he  is  desirous 

of  cretting  me  into.-So  chapel  and  church-Well  leave  m 
the  lurch  ;-And  as  for  the  schools  !-Let  the  young  grow  up 
fools.— For  mind,  my  dear  honey— We  haven't  the  money— 
To  waste  in  this  way~lt  retvljy  don't  pay-Wc  want  all  our 


1} 


.  ? 


300 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


cash — To  lavish  on  trash, — We  must  furnish  a  mansion — In 
all  it8  expansion — "With  everything  elegant,  wondrous,  and 
fine — In  painting,  and  music,  and  th'  crockery  line.  What 
style  would  you  like  for  a  drawing-room  fender  ? — On  the 
subject  of  fire-irons,  I  know  you  arc  tender. — As  an  emblem 
of  trade,  on  the  whole,  perhaps  the  best — We  could  paint  on 
our  carriage  for  family  crest  1 

Even  in  his  business  letters  he  could  not  suppress 
his  humor. 

He  concludes  thus  a  mock-heroic  denunciation  of 
the  Conference  for  a  financial  policy  of  which  he 
disapproved : 

"But  perhaps  it  is  better  to  be  like  the  local 
preacher  from  whom  I  once  bought  gold  in  Mel- 
bourne. Said  I,  *  If  you  get  digging  it  up  in  these 
quantities,  you  will  soon  depreciate  its  value  in  Eng- 
land.' *  Ah,  sir,'  replied  he,  with  a  wise  shake  of 
the  head,  *  there  are  men  in  our  Conference  there 
who  would  never  aUoio  that.' " 

Mr.  Powell's  acute  susceptibility  to  all  kinds  of 
merry-wisdom  was  shown  in  conversation,  corre- 
spondence, lectures  to  young  men,  and  even  in  his 
grave  diary,  where,  amidst  records  of  his  reading 
and  religj^is  struggles  and  successes,  he  notes  ser- 
viceable retorts  and  sensible  repartees.  Though  he 
was  neither  a  wit  nor  a  professed  punster,  he  yet 
displayed  in  a  quiet,  easy  way,  genuine  humor  in 
most  of  its  forms ;  "  pat  allusion  to  a  known  story, 
seasonable  application  of  a  trivial  saying,  play  on 
words  and  phrases,  taking  advantage  from  the  am- 
biguity of  their  sense  or  the  affinity  of  their  sound, 
an  odd  similitude,  a  sly  question,  a  smart  answer,  a 


HIS  HOME  TRArrs. 


301 


quirkish  reason,  a  shrewd  intimation,  a  tart  irony,  a 
lusty  hyperbole,  a  startling  metaphor,  an  acute  non- 
sense, a  scenical  representation  of  persons  or  things, 
a  counterfeit  speech,  a  mimical  look  or  gesture,  an 

affected  simplicity." 

Our  friend  also  studied  "whatsoever  things  are 
lovely,"  entering  carefully  in  his  journal  fine 
though  slight  traits  of  goodness,  and  small  instruc- 
tive incidents ;  e.g., — 

"  March  15th,  I860.— I  saw  a  beautiful  sight  in 
one  of  the  crowded  thoroughfares  of  London.  A 
well-dressed  lady  had  just  crossed  the  street,  when 
she  met  a  poor,  blind  beggar-man,  who  was  trying  to 
find  his  way  to  the  side  from  which  she  had  just 
come,  groping  with  a  stick,  and  in  great  danger 
from  the  horses  and  carriages  on  every  side.  The 
lady,  without  a  moment's  hesitation,  took  hold  of 
his  hand,  and  led  him  across,  and  then  returned,  and 
went  her  way.  But  her  act  of  love  was  silently  re- 
corded." 

Kesolute  as  Mr.  Powell  was  by  habit,  and  irrita- 
ble as  he  was  by  temperament,  and  strongly  as  he 
thought,  spoke,  and  acted,  he  was  very  relenting, 
and  always  tried  to  soften  the  effect  of  too  ener- 
getic expressions,  by  healing  and  explanatory  post- 
scripts ;  e.g.,  "  Having  read  this  over,  I  am  afraid 
its  tendency  is  to  depress  you." 

To  a  young  friend  just  setting  up  in  business: 

"  One  essential  element  of  success  in  business  is 

uniform  politeness  and  kindness.    It  does  one's  self 

good  as  well  as  those  towards  whom  it  is  exercised. 

It  acts  wonderfully  on  assistants.     I  should  insist  on 


302 


LIFE  OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


their  treating  all  persons  not  obsequiously,  but 
courteously.  I  have  no  faith  in  your  burly  brutes, 
who  pride  themselves  on  their  bluntness,  and  think 
themselves  thereby  licensed  to  wound  the  feelings 
of  all  they  come  in  contact  with.  I  regard  a  written 
sneer  as  a  detestable  thing." 

Mr.  Powell's  prosperity  was  clearly  not  the  pros- 
perity of  a  fool;  it  had  no  perceptibly  injurious 
effect  upon  his  character,  lie  seemed  at  least  as 
humble  and  submissive  when  a  merchant  in  London 
as  when  a  clerk  in  Tasmania;  when  the  most  lib- 
eral, active,  and  influential  member  of  a  prosperous 
colonial  Church,  as  when  a  young  convert  trembling 
under  the  responsibilities  of  a  prayer-leader  and 
Sunday-school  teacher.  At  any  rate,  his  journal 
records  with  perfect  acquiescence  his  Church  hu- 
miliations as  well  as  his  Church  labors  and  suc- 
cesses. 

"Melbourne,  September  27th,  1859.— Attended 
the  leaders'  meeting  from  seven  till  ten  p.m.  The 
meeting  finally  arrived  at  a  resolution  to  the  follow- 
ing effect :  *  It  is  cause  for  regret  that  the  matters  in 

dispute  between  Messrs. and  Powell  were  not 

brought  before  the  Church  prior  to  resorting  to  an 
action  at  law.  That  both  the  brethren  are  in  the 
wrong :  Mr. for  giving  occasion  for  legal  pro- 
ceedings ;  Mr.  Powell  for  not  bringing  the  affair 
before  the  Churcli  court  in  the  first  instance.'  The 
leaders    also  expressed  their    conviction    that    my 

claim  on  Mr. was,  ne\ertheless,  perfectly  just, 

and  he  signified  his  willingness  to  admit  it.  The 
matter  is  thus  brought  to  a  satisfactory  conclusion." 


IIIS   HOME   TRAITS. 


303 


"September  28th.-The  Rev.  Mr. called  on 

me,  with  Mr. ,  and  showed  me  a  receipt  from 

my  lawyer  for  the  debt  whicia  had  recovered  from 

him.     I  returned  him  £ ." 

Perfectly  good-humored  submission  to  the  formal 
and  recorded  strictures  of  a  Church  court,  composed 
for  the  most  part  of  individuals  of  inferior  soml 
position,  is  not  the  easiest  virtue  to  a  man  who  has 
rapidly  risen  in  wealth  and  in  consideration,  occu- 
pying a  forefront  station  both  in  the  Church  and  m 
the  secular  community.  n,     i 

After  all,  the  loveliest  phase  of  Mr.  Powell  s  char- 
acter must  remain  unsketched-his  fireside  graces 
and  "  all  the  sweet  civilities  of  life." 

But  such  entries  as  the  following  are  very  sigmli- 

''''"  August  12th,  I860.— Gave  Laura  a  lesson  on 
Christ  the  Example  for  the  young,  and,  after  com- 
mending  her  to  the  blessing  and  protection  ot  the 
Almighty  during  our  absence,  took  her  back  to 

school."  p 

The  very  extravagance  of  his  language  was  otten 

obviously  intended  to  be  self-correcting  by  its  comic 

exaggeration :  , 

"  Such  a  mode  of  carrying  on  business  is  enough 

to  make  one  dance  with  rage." 

At  other  times  it  was  serious  enough  : 

« I  would  rather  throw  the  money  into  the  sea, 

than  give  him  a  farthing  of  that  to  which  he  makes 

an  unrighteous  claim,  or  yield  to  his  greediness. 

Idleness  seems  to  have  eaten  into  his  heart  s  core. 

So  he  had  better  cease  from  worrying,  m  the  vam 


!| 


4 

V: 


m 


304 


LIFE   OF    WALTER   POWELL. 


hope  of  inducing  mo  to  give  way.    I  must  raise  my 

voice  against  sin.     You  say has  been  put  out 

of  his  situation.     He  put  himself  out  by  negligence 
and  carelessness." 

Yet  it  must  be  confessed  that  he  was  at  times  too 
impetuous,  too  impatient  of  the  prejudices,  the 
leanings,  and  likings,  and  habitudes  of  others,  in  his 
ardent  pursuit  of  a  good  object.  He  evidently  had 
a  difficulty  in  making  due  allowance  for  the  tem- 
perament and  inveterate  notions,  and,  if  one  may  so 
say,  the  natural  history,  of  his  opponents  in  com- 
mittee or  negotiation.  This  fault  of  his  was,  doubt- 
less, to  a  great  extent,  not  only  constitutional,  but 
the  result  of  insidious,  and  at  last  fatal,  physical  dis- 
ease. It  cost  him  deep  sorrow.  lie  was  one  of 
that  very  exceptional  class  who  lind  a  difficulty  in 
seeing  a  matter  fiom  an  opponent's  point  of  view, 
or  giving  a  large  maigin  of  indulgence  for  a  Chris- 
tian brother's  state  of  health  or  business,  or  domes- 
tic relations,  or  spiritual  conflicts.  Yet  he  himself 
was  conscious  of  needing  such  allowance,  lie  was 
built  upon  the  high-pressure  principle,  and  there 
was  always  danger  of  becoming  overheated.  His 
greatest  mistake  was  in  not  making  due  concessions 
to  the  fixed  habits  and  the  helpless  irritability  of 

old  age ;  e.g.,  "  They  plead 's  old  age ;   but  I 

ask.  Is  an  offender  to  be  dealt  with  more  leniently 
because  he  is  an  old  offender  ? "  But  that  such  explo- 
sive sentences  were,  on  his  side,  the  indications  of 
excited  exhaustion,  is  perfectly  plain  ;  the  very  next 
sentence  being,  "I  am  knocked  up  with  business; 


ins  HOME   TEAITS. 


305 


SO  pray  excuse  more.    I  have  been  writing  until 
head  and  hands  refuse  to  do  more." 

It  was  his  nature  and  his  habit  to  speak,  as  well 
as  to  think,  feel,  and  act,  strongly  and  .^tra.ght  out 
Writing  in  relation  to  a   friend's  affairs :      Those 
banks  destroy  the  colonies,  sacking  the  very  blood 
out  of  the  trading  community  for  the  sake  of  a  lazy 

^Z" Poweil  did  not  shrink  from  that  highest  and 
most  arduous  act  of  true  friendship,  earnest  remon- 
strance.   His  affectionate  frankness  and  unflinching 
thoroughness  in  pointing  out  any  serious  defect  m 
the  character  of  a  friend,  and  warning  against  any 
weakness  or  thoughtlessness  which  had  the  appear- 
ance and  the  effect  of  a  breach  of  the  golden  rule, 
^vas  one  of  his  rarest  excellencies.     "  Faithful  are 
the  wounds  of  a  friend."     It  was,  perhaps,  in  the 
band-meeting  that  he  acquired  this  Christian  accom- 
plishment-fidelity in  reproof.     To  an  old  friend,  on 
the  proposal  to  renew  a  suspended  correspondence: 
"I  am  not  surprised  to  find  y<ni  lamenting  that 
any  interruption  should  have  occurred  in  our  friend- 
ship    It  is  difticult  to  renew  a  correspondence  witli 
thorough  heartiness ;  drgicuU,  but,  happily,  not  im- 
possible.   I  have  no  desire  to  recur  to  tlie  past,  by 
charghig  you  with  faults,  which,  if  they  existed, 
ouo-ht  at  once  to  have  been  pointed  out  by  me.     It 
would  scarcely  be  seemly  to  'say  out'  now  what 
should  have  been  spoken  years  ago.    I  therefore  ac- 
cept, with  all  heartiness  and  sincerity,  your  proposal 
to  proclaim  a  mutual  amnesty  for  the  past.     And 
let  us  resolve,  by  God's  grace,  since  nothing  else  is 


306 


LIFE   OF  WALTER   POWELL. 


HIS   nOME   TRAITS. 


307 


strong,  that  our  renewed  friendship  shall  he  hased 
ou  the  utmost  simplicity,  candor,  and  truth. 

"  The  longer  I  live,  the  more  I  see  the  necessity 
of  bending  before  the  one  fountain  of  trutli — the 
Scriptures  ;  endeavoring  to  drink  in  those  clear  dis- 
closures, by  which  our  duty  to  God  and  to  our 
neighbor  is  made  plain.  All  other  *  remedies '  fail 
to  heal.  But  this  not  only  heals,  but  gives  Divine 
power  to  contend  daily  with  the  world,  oui-selves, 
and  Satan,  which,  unless  opposed  by  Divine  energy, 
will  assuredly  prove  our  destruction." 

Expostulating  with  a  friend  who  had  inconsider- 
ately placed  him  in  a  very  annoying  and  perilous 
situation : 

"No  doubt  your  position  was  one  of  difficulty,  but 
I  am  afraid  you  did  not  give  my  interests  as  much 
consideration  as  they  deserved,  after  the  very  plain 
way  in  which  I  wrote  on  the  matter.  It  has  caused 
me  much  mental  suffering  for  the  last  few  months. 
I,  however,  cordially  accept  your  assurance  that  you 
did  not  tliink  it  would  at  all  injure  me." 

Again : 

"  I  spoke  plainly,  as  having  your  interests  at  heart. 
You  must  remember  that  remarks  in  writing  always 
appear  more  severe  than  those  made  vocally,  having 
none  of  the  qualifications  of  tone  and  manner.  The 
only  way  of  getting  right  again  is  to  repent,  i.e.  to 
see  that  the  wrong  is  in  yourself,  your  own  foolish- 
ness, and  not  in  others.  Let  us  be  faithful  to  each 
other.  Our  friendship  is  based  on  mutual  faithful- 
ness.   Of  yours  I  have  the  firmest  conviction,  and 


you  must  not  have  less  confidence  in  mine,  even 
when  I  point  out  errors."  ^^ 

It  must  be  admitted  that  onr  friend  was  not  a 
smooth  man."  He  was  much  more  like  the  cocoa- 
nut  than  the  peach.  His  character  was  rather  linn 
and  strong  than  pulpy  and  downy.  To  some  he 
might  sometimes  seem  to  have  a  hard  shell,  and  a 
rou-h  though  serviceable  coating ;  yet  he  had  withal 
a  la"i-ge  heart  and  a  profusion  of  the  richest  milk  ot 
human  kindness.  His  very  vehemence  was  the  milk 
of  human  kindness  boiling  over.  In  such  moments 
Thackeray  would  have  called  him  "  beneviolent." 

One  of  the  most  marked  characteristics  was  his 
love  of  children.  This  is  strikingly  illustrated  in  his 
correspondence  ;  e.g.,  to  a  friend  in  Victoria  : 

London,  St.  Dunstan's  Buildings, 
Ayril  2Qth,  1866. 

I  have  sent  a  small  case  addressed  to  you,— a  few  toys  for 
your  poor  chUd  to  amuse  her  during  her  wearisome  affliction. 
The  toys  are  of  a  substantial  character,  but  among  them  is  a 
nice  little  china  tea-set.  Tea-sets  always  have  a  great  rep- 
utation among  children. 

His  correspondence  with  young  people  was  very 
large.     I  can  only  give  a  specimen. 
To  a  little  niece  at  school : 

London,  79,  Lancaster  Gate, 
(Extract.)  '   October  10th,  1866. 

My  dear , 

You  must  throw  all  your  energies  into  your  studies.  It  is 
a  noble  thing  to  resolve,  as  the  catechism  says,  "to learn  and 
labor  tmly  to  get  my  own  living." 


1'^ 


t<    i 


I 


308 


LIFE   OF  WALTER  rOWELT^ 


I  am  sorry  to  learn  that  you  have  a  bad  temper ;  but  it  is 
wise  to  acknowledge  it,  since  **  confession  is  half  way  to 
amendment."  I  can  give  you  an  infallible  recipe  for  its  cure. 
Try  secret,  earnest  prayer.  '*  The  grace  of  God  brings  salva- 
tion," not  only  salvation  after  we  are  dead,  but  salvation 
while  we  are  living.  Jesus  Christ  came  to  save  us  from  our 
sins.  Now  bad  temper  is  a  sin,  and  your  heavenly  Father  is 
waiting  to  save  you  from  it  and  from  all  sins,  if  you  would 
ask  Him.  God  is  faithful  Who  promises.  He  always  keeps 
His  promise.  Well,  He  promises  to  give  His  Holy  Spirit  to 
those  who  ask  Him.  Now,  remember,  that  wliere  God's 
Holy  Spirit  dwells,  evil  cannot  triumph.  Have  you  made 
prayer  your  delight  as  well  as  your  duty  ?  Foniial  prayers 
will  never  profit  you  much.  Prayer  should  be  the  pouring 
out  of  your  heart  to  God,  telling  Him  earnestly  all  you  need, 
and  entreating  Him  to  help  you,  begging  Him  to  supply  your 
wants.  Do  you  want  a  sympathizing,  loving  friend  ?  Jesus 
is  your  Saviour,  Brother,  Friend.  Now,  after  this  little  ser- 
mon, let  me  beg  you  to  go  to  God,  believe  that  He  will  keep 
His  promise ;  pray  and  expect  to  receive  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
abide  with  you.  When  lie  comes  you  will  find  your  l)ad 
temper  cured ;  and  then  cheerfulness  and  thankfulness  will 
be  the  constant  state  of  your  mind.  Now  I  have  witnessed 
this  cure  in  so  many  hundreds  of  cases,  that  I  8i)eak  with 
confidence  when  I  reconnnend  it. 

Your  drawing  will  always  be  a  delight  to  you,  especially 
when  you  learn  to  sketch  from  nature.  You  must  read  all 
the  well-written  books  you  can  meet  with ;  they  will  im- 
prove your  knowledge  and  your  style.  When  you  meet  with 
a  good  author,  examine  attentively  how  the  sentences  are 
framed.  If  you  like  me  to  write  in  this  way,  I  shall  be 
happy  to  open  a  steady  correspondence  with  you. 

I  remain,  yours  affectionately, 

Walter  Powell. 

Another  form  which  our  friend's  kindliness  as- 
sumed was  his  love  of  "  personal  talk." 


HIS   HOME  TRAITS. 


309 


To  one  of  his  partners  in  Melbourne  : 


My  dear  Chambers, 

The  news  that  most  interests  me  is  what  does  not  appear  in 
the  public  prints,  U.,  the  doings  of  all  I  have  ariy  knowledge 
of-their  advance  or  decline,  their  removals,  sellmg  off,  etc., 
marriages,  births,  and  deaths.     We  already  have  a  smnmary 

of  the  latter,  still  I  miss  many.     How  does prosper^ 

Has  a  pubUc  garden  yet  been  opened  |  Where  have  they 
decided  to  make  the  terminus  at  Castlemaine?  What  are 
the  Wesleyan  ministers  about?  Have  you  been  to  see  the 
Book  Depot,  and  what  is  it  like?  These,  and  a  hundred 
other  small  things  constantly  occurring,  are  what  I  want  to 
know.  For,  strange  to  say,  these  small  items  of  intelligence 
are  of  the  most  value  to  us  here. 

Then  follows  good-natured  gossip  about  Austra- 
lians in  England,^  full  of  quiet  humor— as  if  England 
were  just  a  place  to  which  Australians  might  come 
for  purposes  of  recreation  and  trade— finishmg 
with — 

I  hope  to  hear  that  your  pariiamentary  struggle  is  settled. 
Better  have  a  strong  government  that  does  not  quite  please 
you,  than  be  in  the  state  you  have  lately  been  in. 

The  following  testimonies  from  highly  competent 
men  cast  further  light  on  some  line  traits  in  Mr. 
Powell's  character.  The  Eev.  B.  Cocker,  LL.D., 
now  Professor  of  Moral  Philosophy  in  the  Univer- 
sity of  Michigan,  writes : 

My  first  introduction  to  Mr.  Powell  was  in  the  early  pari:  of 
the  memorable  '52,  when  the  gold  excitement  was  at  its 
height.    I  called  upon  him  at  the  store,   comer  of   Great 


310 


LIFE   OF  WALTER   POWKLL. 


HIS   HOME   TKAITS. 


311 


^^ 


Collins  and  Swanston  Streets,  and  presented  a  note  of  intro- 
duction. Sixteen  years,  spent  mostly  in  other  lands,  crowded 
with  great  changes  and  stirring  events,  have  since  swept  over 
me ;  and  yet,  to-day,  the  companionship  of  Mr.  Powell 
seems  the  most  vivid  of  all  my  remembrances. 

My  first  interview  left  a  somewhat  unfavorable  impression 
on  my  mind.  lie  was  exceedingly  busy.  There  seemed  a 
touch  of  rcseiTe  in  his  manner,  and  an  air  of  abstraction  on 
his  countenance,  which  indicated  that  his  mind  was  pre-oc- 
cupied  with  responsibilities.  A  further  acquaintance  dis- 
pelled the  apparent  reserve ;  the  air  of  abstraction  melted 
away.  I  got  through  the  outer  cmst  of  him,  and  approached 
his  heart.  I  learned  to  love  him  with  a  brother's  love.  It 
was  my  happiness  to  be  thrown  a  great  deal  into  his  society, 
in  matters  of  business,  in  public  colonial  affairs,  in  social  life, 
in  enterprises  of  benevolence,  in  Church  relations  and  com- 
munings, and  my  attachment  was  daily  strengthened.  New 
revelations  of  goodness,  of  nobleness,  of  purity  of  intention, 
were  continually  unfolding.  I  never  saw  him  perform  an 
act,  never  heard  him  speak  one  word,  which  diminished  my 
affection  for  him ;  on  the  contrary,  it  ever  grew  deeper  and 
stronger. 

Tliose  memoraljle  years  '52  to  '56,  tried  men's  characters, 
and  put  men's  principles  and  resources  to  the  severest  test. 
The  delirious  excitement  of  the  gold  discovery  carried  men 
off  their  feet,  and  turned  their  heads.  A  great  many  be- 
came moral,  and  some  mental,  wrecks.  But  amid  all  this 
excitement  and  wild  peqjlexity,  Mr.  Powell  retained  his  self- 
control,  his  calmness  of  spirit,  his  inward  life  of  comnmnion 
with  God.  He  stood  like  a  rock  amid  the  billows.  He 
seemed  almost  the  only  calm  and  self-possessed  man,  in  a 
great  community  run  mad.  With  clear-sighted  and  far- 
sighted  sagacity  he  saw  that,  to  manage  well  his  own  Ijusiness, 
to  avoid  rash  speculation,  and  wait  for  calmer  weather,  was 
the  surer  way  to  wealth.  And  the  course  of  events  soon  justi- 
fied his  prudence.  For  when  the  tide  began  to  recede,  and  a 
commercial  crisis  arose,  and  swept  like  a  tornado  over  the 


colony,  and  probably  two-thirds  of  the  commercial  houses  m 
Melbourne  were  driven  on  a  lee-shore  and  wrecked  he  went 
through  the  storm  securely;  his  losses  were  small,  and  he 
came  out  with   an   ample   fortune.     During   these   excitmg 
times  he  was  faithful  to  his  duties  as  an  oflicer  of  the  Church, 
and  he  longed  and  labored  to  bring  up  the  Church  to  the  re- 
sponsibilities and  duties  of  the  hour.     And,   above  all,  he 
was  inexorable  in  his  determination  to  secure  time  for  the 
culture  of  his  heart,  for  closet  prayer,  and  for  the  study  ot 
the  Word  of  God.     Here  was  the  secret  of  his  calmness  and 
streno-th.     He  went  forth  into  the  noise   and  bustle  of  the 
world  in  that  repose  and  peace  of  soul  which  commumon  with 
God  supplies.     His  soul  was  "stayed  on"  God.     He  was 
anchored  in  the  calm  of  the  Infinite  presence.     He  walked 
with  God  in  holy  communion,  as  he  sold  merchandise  m  the 
store,  and  conversed  on  business  in  the  streets.     And  because 
he  did  everything  in  the  fear  of  God,  he  did  right.     There 
never  was  breathed  a  doubt  as  to  his  integrity  or  honor,  and 
his  word  was  never  questioned.     In  the  business  circles  of  the 
colony  he  left  a  spotless  name. 

During  these  three  years  there  was  no  true  social  life  in  the 
colony.     The  masses  went  there  to  make  their  fortune,  and 
then  return  to  England.     Even  the  children  born  in  Austra- 
lia were  taught  to  speak  of  England  as  their  honw.     No  one 
cared  to  make  a  home  in  the  colony.     The  chief  concern  was 
to  make  money;   and,  for  the  rest,  they  barely  "lodged" 
and  "boarded."     The  amenities  of  life— literature,  music, 
art,  intellectual  converse,  the  love  and  joy  of  friendship- 
could  there  find  no  congenial  place.     The  heart  of  Mr.  Powell 
sighed  for  these,  and  in  his  last  letter  to  me  from  London  he 
assigns  this  as  one  chief  reason  for  his  return  to  England. 
But  he  made  the  most  of  the  little  rills  of  joy  which  trickled 
here  and  there  amid  the  arid  sands  of  that  social  desert.     His 
house  at  Prahran  was  an  oasis  m  the  wilderness.     A  well- 
stocked  library,  and  the  refreshing  strains  of  sacred  music, 
made  his  house  a  home.     Never  can  I  forget  my  walks  with 
him  across  the  open  country  towards  Prahran,  the  commun- 


312 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


HIS    HOME   TRAITS. 


313 


I  ^ 


I 


ion  of  spirit  we  enjoyed,  the  deep  and  serious  converse  of 
"the  things  of  God."  And  then  the  joyous  welcome  of  his 
wife,  the  sunshine  of  l)er  face,  as  slie  met  him  at  the  door ; 
and  the  music — he  at  the  harmonium,  and  Mrs.  Powell  at 
the  piano — accompanied  by  the  richer  melody  of  his  voice  I 
We  seemed  to  dwell  for  an  hour  or  two  in  a  better  world.  He 
had  a  few  chosen  friends  in  whose  society  he  took  delight. 
When  these  were  gathered  round  him,  there  was  the  radiancy 
of  joy — the  hearty  laugh,  the  merry  twinkle  of  his  eye. 

I  am  asked  to  indicate  the  weaknesses  I  detected  in  him. 
I  must  at  once  avow  my  blindness  to  his  defects  !  He  came 
nearer  to  my  ideal  of  "  a  perfect  man  "  than  any  other  human 
being  it  has  been  my  lot  to  know.  Behold  an  Israelite  in- 
deed, in  whom  there  was  no  guile  !  If  for  a  moment,  a  day, 
perhaps  a  week,  I  doubted  the  wisdom  of  his  conduct,  or 
suspected  him  to  be  slightly  blinded  to  the  exact  claim  of 
right  towards  myself  or  others,  a  few  more  days  or  weeks 
sufficed  to  convince  me  he  was  right. 

He  had  a  sound  judgment,  an  intuitive  perception  of  the 
just  and  true,  a  tender  conscience,  a  warm  and  loving  heart. 
He  was  full  of  compassion.  He  conceived  noble  plans,  had 
great  executive  ability,  and  a  persistence  which  carried  his 
plans  to  completion.  His  intellectual  powers  were  of  no 
mean  order.  He  was  at  all  times  a  good  speaker :  occasion- 
ally eloquent,  always  persuasive  and  convincing.  A  scholas- 
tic education  would  have  fitted  him  for  distinction  in  science 
or  literature.  But  he  was  in  his  place.  God's  cause  wants 
large-hearted,  noble  Christians  in  business,  to  conduct  trade 
on  Bible  principles,  to  grow  rich  by  industry  and  integrity, 
and  to  be  faithful  in  the  use  of  wealth.  Mr.  Powell  was  all 
this.     He  served  his  own  generation  by  the  will  of  God. 

The  great  rush  to  the  gold-fields  was  in  1852,  after  the  in«- 
telligence  had  reached  England  and  America,  People  were 
landing  in  Hobson's  Bay  at  the  rate  of  ten  thousand  a  week. 
Mr.  Powell  had  then  erected  his  large  wholesale  warehouse  in 
Swanston  Street,  and  he  threw  open  the  upper  room  to  ac- 
commodate the  homeless,  shelterless  emigrants. 


The  Church  Extension  Society  (afterwards  called  the 
*'  Church  Building  Loan  Fund'^)  was  greatly  indebted  to  his 
earnest  advocacy  and  his  liberal  contributions.  The  friends 
in  the  colony  cannot  have  forgotten  the  meeting  in  Collnis 
Street  Church,  when,  after  one  of  his  characteristic  addresses, 
he  offered  twenty-fire  jter  cent,  additional  on  all  the  subscrip- 
tions of  that  year  throughout  the  colony.  I  can  now  see 
him  as  he  stood  on  the  floor,  with  his  hands  clasped,  quietly 
but  earnestly  arguing  the  imperative  need  of  immediate  action : 
"  We  must  struggle  to  overtake,  and  keep  alongside  with, 
the  vast  influx  of  immigration,  or  we  shall  sink  into  barbar- 
ism, and  re-enact  the  outrages  of  California Christianity 

is  the  only  lever  which  can  save  us  from  moral  putridity." 
With  such  words  as  these  he  urged  the  Church  to  be  equal, 
by  God's  help,  to  the  great  emergency  ;  and  then,  by  one  of 
his  strokes  of  native  sagacity,  he  made  his  proposal.  Some 
$15,000  were  subscribed  on  the  spot.  And,  at  the  end  of  the 
year,  his  check  was  dra\vn  for  the  twenty-five  per  cent,  addi- 
tional on  all  contributions. 

The  Eev.  William  Arthur,  M.A.,  states: 

My  knowledge  of  Mr.  Walter  Powell  extended  over  a  good 
many  years,  and  was  such  as  to  give  me  many  opportunities, 
and  some  special  ones,  of  judging  of  his  character.     The  im- 
pression left  upon  me  was  that  of  uncommon  integrity  and 
high  religious  excellence ;  especially  a  deeply  conscientious 
regard  for  duty,  a  simple  and  humble  spirit,  great  generos- 
ity, and  steady  attention  to  departments  of  labor  for  which 
he  made  himself  responsible.     From  private  intercourse  I 
knew  that  the  humiliation   of  his  spirit   before   God  was 
touchingly  deep,  and  his  spirit  towards  fellow-laborers  in  the 
Lord's  work  gentle  and  considerate.     During  the  time  of  my 
acquaintance  with  him,  I  never  knew  anything  in  his  walk 
that  I  could  justly  blame,  and  saw  enough  of  amiability  and 
large-mindedness  to  secure  unaffected   regard;    enough  of 
Christian  graces  to  make  one  feel  that,  in  his  soul,  the  Lord 

14 


314 


LIFE   OF   WALTER  PO'WELL. 


II 
II 


had  wronglit  a  work  of  grace  little  displayed  in  profession, 
but  more  than  ordinarily  well  attested  in  spirit  and  life. 

Mr.  Powell's  junior  London  partner  says  : 

Spencer  Villas,  Nightingale  Road,  Clapton. 
Those  characteristics  which  most  impressed  themselves 
upon  my  recollection,  were, — 

1.  His  quick  decision. 

Free  from  the  vanity  which  would  seek  to  conceal  an  im- 
perfect acquaintance  with  the  subject  requiring  discussion,  he 
freely  inquired  into  those  points  on  which  lie  was  not  fully 
informed.  Having  thus  obtamed  a  clear  view  of  the  matter, 
his  course  of  action  was  at  once  determined. 

With  the  details  fairly  before  him,  he  arrived  with  unusual 
celerity  at  the  solution  of  the  problem,  often  as  if  by  intui- 
tion; and  rarely  did  it  happen  that  his  conclusions  needed 

reconsideration. 

2.  His  persistence,  perseverance,  and  tenacity  of  purpose. 
These,  I  think,  contributed  greatly  to  his  having  achieved 

so  much.  Instances  have  occurred,  when  travelling  alone, 
of  his  being  attacked  by  indisposition,  such  as,  had  he  been 
an  ordinary  man,  would  have  sent  him  by  the  first  available 
conveyance  to  the  comforts  of  home,  which  he  could  have 
reached  in  a  few  hours ;  but  he  pressed  on,  in  trying  weather, 
through  his  self-allotted  task,  never  swerving  until  the  last 
place  of  business  had  been  visited,  and  his  purpose  was  fully 
accomplished. 

3.  His  talent  for  organization. 

Avoiding  the  occupation  of  his  time  with  attention  to  mere 
details,  he  preferred  leaving  these  to  others,  after  laying 
down  principles,  or  giving  clear  directions  for  their  guid- 
ance. 

It  was  thus  that  while  the  responsibility  of  extensive  com- 
mercial transacdons,  involving  interests  of  no  little  magni- 
tude, were  depending  upon  him,  he  was  ^ble,  by  devoting 


ms  HOME  traits. 


315 


only  a  few  hours  each  day,  to  keep  his  business  well  in  hand, 
and  find  time  for  benevolent  and  philanthropic  ol)jects. 

If  an  instance  of  mismanagement  occurred,  it  was  not  his 
custom  to  seek  out  the  author  of  it  and  take  him  to  task,  but 
rather  to  consider  how  and  why  the  error  had  originated. 
He  would  then  provide  such  safeguards,  or  alterations  of 
system,  as  would  prevent  its  recurrence.  For  sheer  careless- 
ness he  made  no  excuse.  He  would  frequently  say,  "Busi- 
ness neglected  is  Ijusincss  lost." 

In  many  instances  his  correspondents  abroad  derived  much 
advantage  from  his  friendly  counsel ;  and  one  who  was  ex- 
ceedingly successful,  said  that  he  owed  it  greatly  to  the  man- 
ner in  which  Mr.  Powell  had  conducted  the  business  which 
he  had  intrusted  to  him. 

4.  His  regard  for  trifles. 

Any  new  invention  or  article  of  merchandise,  if  it  had 
merits,  although  insignificant  in  cost,  he  would  take  care  to 
introduce  to  those  likely  to  appreciate  it. 

He  was  not  in  danger  of  the  fate  predicted  for  those  who 
*'  despise  small  things,"  though  often  engaged  in  arranging 
for  whole  cargoes  from  distant  ports,  the  trade  of  which  his 
own  enterprise  had  done  much  to  develop. 

5.  Order  and  punctuality. 

These  were  prominent  features  of  his  character.  Five 
minutes  before  an  appointment,  rather  than  one  minute  after, 
was  his  rule.  However  much  of  business — confusion  or  dis- 
order in  his  own  arrangements  or  surroundings  w^as  unknown. 
His  task  well  considered,  and  judiciously  provided  for,  was 
usually  completed  before  the  time  prescribed. 

6.  His  high  character  and  principle. 

Wliile  watching  closely  and  keenly  the  interests  of  a  large 
circle  of  colonial  correspondents,  he  carefully  avoided  the 
taking  of  any  undue  advantage,  either  on  their  behalf  or  his 
own.  His  career,  in  short,  affords  one  more  proof  that  it  is 
still  possible  for  Christian  princijjle  to  achieve  commercial 
success. 

7.  Delicacy  of  feeling  and  kindness. 


4 

1 


! 


i 


316 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


These  were  natural  to  him.  He  shrank  from  roughly 
reproving  even  those  by  whose  failures  in  duty  he  suif ered. 

If  he  thought  a  clerk  in  his  office  did  not  seem  contented  and 
comfortable,  he  would  inquire,  indirectly,  what  was  the  cause, 
and,  if  possible,  remove  it.  The  Saturday  half-holiday  and 
early-closing  movement  had  his  sanction  and  support. 

After  visiting  the  International  Exhibitions  of  London  in 
1862,  and  Paris  in  1867,  he  provided  that  those  who  served 
him  should  share  in  the  gratification  he  had  himself  experi- 
enced; and  for  this  purpose  ample  time  and  means  were 
specially  afforded  to  each  member  of  his  staff,  on  both  of 
those  occasions. 

8.  His  cheerful  and  genial  temper. 

Rarely  did  it  happen  that  he  parted  with  those  who  came 
to  transact  business  before  some  pertinent  anecdote  or  illus- 
tration, drawn  from  his  large  experience  of  men  and  man- 
ners, had  cheered  and  enlivened  the  interview.  Frequently 
he  would  wind  up  with  some  humorous  sally  that  sent  his 
visitor  away  with  smiling  face  and  "  merry  heart." 

This  is  the  result  of  my  own  experience,  extending  over 
several  years.  ^    ^^^^^ 

These  testimonies  to  Mr.  Poweirs  kindliness  might 
easily  be  multiplied,  and  countless  illustrative  inci- 
dents recorded,  such  as  his  lending  a  friend  in  straits 
$9,000,  and  on  his  almost  immediate  failure,  paying 
his  passage  to  America;  and  his  sending  an  accom- 
plished but  obscure  and  necessitous  teacher  of 
music  $125,  to  enable  her  to  give  a  concert  to  make 
her  talents  known.  But  enough  has  been  said  to 
prove  that  with  all  his  dexterity,  regularity,  and 
energy  as  a  business  man,  and  all  his  strictness  and 
fervor  in  the  cultivation  of  spiritual-mindedness, 
there  was  as  little  in  his  character  of  the  gaunt  and 
hard  as  of  the  censorious  or  the  mystical. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

HIS  DECLINING   HEALTH    AND   DEATH. 

Mr.  Powell's  constitution  had  never  fully  re- 
covered from  the  shock  of  the  severe  injury  re- 
ceived in  his  youth.  For  years  he  had  been  subject 
to  severe  attacks  of  sickness,  and  whenever  he  was 
subjected  to  any  great  or  long-continued  strain  upon 
his  physical  or  mental  powei-s,  a  long  and  trjdng 
illness  was  sure  to  follow.  Latterly  he  had  more 
than  once  had  intimations  that  there  were  symptoms 
of  that  terrible  disease  which  for  the  past  twenty 
years  has  proved  so  fatal  to  energetic  professional 
and  business  men — Albuminuria.  This  had  led  him 
to  endeavor  to  keep  his  business  within  moderate 
bounds.  In  September,  1865,  he  wrote  to  a  friend : 
"  By  the  present  mail,  I  am  refusing  good  business 
orders  to  the  extent  of  $150,000  a  year,  from  wealthy 
parties.  I  have  j  ust  retired  from  the  Melbourne  firm, 
because  I  wish  to  concentrate  my  tlioughts  on  the 
London  business,  and  keep  everything  in  a  compact 
compass."  To  the  same  friend  under  date  of  "  April 
26th,  1866,"  he  thus  states  his  reason  for  not  im- 
mediately giving  up  business  altogether :  "  1  have 
not  been  strong  the  last  twelve  months,  having  been 
frequently  under  the  doctor's  care.  The  weight 
of  the  large  business  is  wearing.     I  indulge  some* 


318 


LIFE   OF  WALTER   POWELL. 


HIS   DECLINING   HEALTH   AND   DEATH. 


310 


I 


m 


times  in  dreams  of  retiring,  which  I  check  by  the 
reflection  that  I  am  more  useful  where  I  am,  at  any 
rate  for  the  present."  Ilis  Church  cares  also  weighed 
heavily  on  him. 

Although  he  was  still  at  heart  an  Australian,  con- 
fessing, *'  I  cannot  help  sighing  for  Australia,"  and 
cherishing  a  hope  that  he  should  yet  return  and 
devote  a  few  more  years  to  Victoria ;  although  he 
felt  that  in  England  he  was  "  a  sti-anger  in  a  strange 
land,"  looking  at  everything  with  the  eye  and  the 
heart  of  a  colonist ;  yet  he  threw  himself  with  his 
characteristic  ardor  into  the  religious  activities  and 
responsibilities  of  his  new  though  native  sphere. 
Even  in  London  he  could  not  lose  himself  in  the 
crowd;  and,  whilst  still  caring,  saving,  scheming, 
spending  for  his  loved  Victoria,  he  felt  the  claims 
of  a  city  to  which  a  Melbourne  was  being  added 
every  few  years. 

He  had  not  been  long  settled  in  London,  when  he 
wrote  to  a  friend  in  Victoria  a  long  report  on  the 
religious  state  of  London,  from  which  1  give  a  brief 
extract : 

To  A.  8.  Pdlmer,  Esq. 

6,  Broad  Street  Buildings, 

N(ycember  21#i,  1863. 
My  dear  Palmer, 

Nothing  gives  me  greater  pleasure  than  communication 
with  old  friends.  I  manage,  notwithstanding  the  tyrannous 
demands  of  business,  to  keep  up  a  constant  fire  with  all  I 
most  esteem.  I  promised  you  some  account  of  what  is  going 
on  in  the  religious  world  of  London.  It  was  an  imprudent 
promise,  one  I  am  incai)able  of  redeeming  in  any  way  worthy 
of  the  great  subject.     London  is  so  vast,  so  utterly  unfathom- 


able, that  the  longer  you  live  in  it  the  more  profound  it 
seems  to  become.     I  need  not  tell  you  of  ordmary  religious 
Ufe;  that  would  be  only  a  repetition  of  what  you  see  and 
hear    daily  in  Victoria.      The    Independents,    Churchmen, 
Methodists,  Baptists,  are  much  the  same  here  as  there,  save 
in  one  or  two  particulars.     The  Methodists  are  not  so  great 
a    power,   in  proportion,   here  as  in  the    colony.       "The 
Church"— Episcopalian— has  a  high  vantage-ground  in  her 
immense  endowments  and  her  status  as  tlie  Church  of  England. 
These  draw  to  her  the  wealth,  fashion,  and  intelligence  of 
the  nation.     A  man  inevitably  loses  caste  who  is  not  an 
Episcopalian.     The  Methodists,  weakened  by  their  long  con- 
test with  "the  Reformers,"  have  made  little  progress  for 
the  last  few  years;  but  now,  I  think,  are  beginning  to  stir 
themselves,  having  recently  raised  a  Metropolitan  Fund  of 
$100,000,  besides  paying   off   numerous   chapel   debts.      A 
strong  feeling  has  set  in  against  chapel  debts,— a  healthy 
sign.     The  Revs.  W.   Arthur  and  W.  M.  Punshon  are  the 
most  influential  preachers.     The  latter  can  stir  any  audience 
to  its  depths.     He  is  devoted  to  the  service   of  God.     His 
imagination  is  of  oriental  magnificence.     He  is  aided  by  a 
mentory  most  capacious,  which  enables  him  to  adorn  every 
discourse  or  speech  with  flowers  culled  from  every  Uterary 
garden.    How  he  has  found  time  to  read  no  one  knows. 

The  Independents  are  a  great  power  in  London ;  they  have 
numerous  and  well-built  chapels,  and  their  pulpits  are  occu- 
pied, as  a  rule,  by  clever,  hard-working,  pious  men.     Their 
,   having  such  good  chapels,  in  such  good  sites,  is  chiefly  owing 
to  their  having  established  a  Chapel  Fund  several  years  ago, 
on  the  same  principle  as  that  which  I  vainly  endeavored  to 
initiate  in  Melbourne.     Methodism,  now  it  has  its  Metropoli- 
tan Fund,  can  do  little  on  account  of  the  enormous  increase 
in  the  value  of  land.     The  EstabUshment  betrays  elements  of 
weakness  in  its  divisions.     Some  leaders  of  the  Broad  Church 
party  are  engaged  in  the  awful  enterprise  of  shaking  the 
faith   of  thousands.     The  more  earnest  evangelicals  work 
anywhere  and  everywhere,  and  form  a  humble,  devoted,  self- 


320 


LIFE   OF   WALTEK   POWELL. 


denying  band.  Tliey  preach  in  the  streets,  theatres,  concert- 
rooms,  and  private  houses.  There  is  but  one  drawlmck  to 
their  usefulness  :  they  do  not  like  to  work  with  members  of 
other  denominations.     Still  there  are  many  exceptions. 

Then,  as  to  the  laymen.  The  way  in  which  vital  religion 
is  working  among  the  upper  classes  is  one  of  the  wonders  of 
the  age.  I  hear  of  several  families  among  the  nobility  who 
hold  religious  meetings  in  their  houses,  and  praj'  for  the 
conversion  of  the  nngodly  with  the  same  fervor,  simplicity, 
and  earnestness,  that  used  to  characterize  our  Launceston 
prayer-meetings.  I  was  at  a  meeting  held  in  the  house  of 
Dr.  Forbes  Winslow.  About  eighty  persons  assembled  in 
the  Doctor's  drawing-room.  After  singing  and  prayer,  the 
Doctor  called  on  any  one  who  had  witnessed  good  results  in 
the  theatres,  concert-rooms,  and  parks,  to  state  what  they 
had  seen.  Persons  of  all  classes  were  present.  A  scene 
something  like  those  we  have  witnessed  in  the  Launceston 
school-room  presented  itself.  The  most  stirring  narratives 
were  given  of  the  progress  of  the  work  of  God.  In  one 
theatre  alone  three  hundred  were  known  to  have  been  con- 
verted. A  peculiar  feature  of  the  laymen's  preaching  is,  that 
they  address  themselves  solely  to  the  great  sul>ject — repent- 
ance towards  God,  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  Ciirist, 
a  present  means  of  escape  from  the  thraldom  of  sin ;  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  our  Regenerator,  giving  light,  power,  and  love. 
They  do  not  advocate  the  si>ecial  views  of  any  sect.  They 
have  what  is  wanted  in  these  days  of  cold  infidelity — great 
simi^licity  and  eanaestness.  The  question  with  them  is, 
*'  Are  you  converted?  If  not,  you  are  in  tlie  thraldom  of  the 
devil."  God  blesses  this  style  of  proclaiming  the  truth ;  it 
is  practical  and  plain;  there  is  no  getting  away  from  it; 
sinnei^  yield  more  readily  to  its  jjower  than  if  attacked  in  the 
most  learned  and  logical  form.  As  of  old,  the  greatest 
success  is  with  those  who  lead  a  holy  life,  who  are  instant 
in  prayer,  and  have  a  deep  acquaintance  with  tlie  Word  of 
God.  Is  not  this  "  Word  a  hammer  that  breakcth  the  rock 
in  pieces  "  ? 


HIS  DECLINING   HEALTH   AND  DEATH. 


321 


Mr.  Brownlow  North,  brother  of  Lord  North,  preaches 
with  singular  power  and  originality.  He  speaks  just  like 
one  who  has  escaped  from  the  horrible  pit  and  the  miry  clay. 
I  heard  him  on  Ephesians  ii.  1-5— most  startling  and  vivid. 

Mre.  Powell  and  I  attended  an  evening  party,  for  "Chris- 
tian conference  and  prayer,"  at  a  gentleman's  house.     Nearly 
all  were  Episcopalians.     About  fifty  assembled  in  the  draw-  . 
in'r-room.     It  was  a  time  of  refreshing  from  the  presence  of 

the  Lord. 

Think  of  four  hundred  city  missionaries;  the  Strangers' 
Friend  Society,  numbering  three  hundred  unpaid  visitoi*9 ! 
But,  as  the  Apostle  says,  when  recountmg  the  heroes  of  the 
faith,  "  time  would  fail"  to  speak  of  the  numerous  agencies 
for  spreading  the  knowledge  of  salvation.  Yet  the  laborers 
are  too  few.  One  of  the  most  earnest  said  to  me  the  other 
day,  "The  tide  of  wickedness  is  so  vast,  that  our  efforts  are 
puny  in  comparison."  Still  the  signs  of  the  times  are  de- 
cidedly in  favor  of  the  Church  of  Christ;  the  people  gladly 
flocking  to  hear  any  one  who  is  in  earnest. 

In  the  spring  of  1864,  Mr.  Powell  visited  the 
iron  districts  of  Belgium  and  Germany,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  extending  the  trade  of  his  Melbourne  firm 
in  that  direction.  This  was  almost  wholly  in  the 
interests  of  his  young  partners  there,  as  his  connec- 
tion with  the  Victorian  business  was  to  terminate 
in  1865. 

On  the  16th  of  November,  1865,  the  Eev.  D.  J. 
Draper  and  Mrs.  Draper  visited  Mr.  Powell,  staying 
at  his  house  a  fortnight.  They  also  spent  Christmas 
there,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Powell  were  the  last  friends 
they  saw  in  London,  being  accompanied  by  them  to 
the  train  which  conveyed  them  from  Paddington 
to  Plymouth,  on  New  Year's  Day,  1866.  On  the 
17th  of  January,  Mr.  Powell  wrote  in  his  diary : 
14* 


322 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


"  The  fii*st  thing  I  read  this  morning  was  the  foun- 
dering of  the  steamship  *  London,'  with  two  hundred 
and  seventy-six  pei*sons,  and  amongst  them  our  dear 
friends,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Draper.  *  Precious  in  the 
sight  of  the  Lord  is  the  death  of  His  saints.' "  On 
the  22d,  he  writes  to  Melbourne,  "  I  am  sure  their 
death  will  till  the  colonial  Churches  with  mourn- 
ing. Mrs.  Powell  and  I  are  deeply  cut,  although 
our  grief  is  mitigated  by  the  reflection  that  he  died 
nobly,  discharging  his  duty,  and  that  God,  in  Ilia 
all-wise  providence,  permitted  him  to  embark  in 
that  vessel  in  order  that  he  might  preach  salvation 
to  those  who  went  down  with  him.  The  last  words 
I  had  with  him  were  about  the  Grammar  School. 
I  said,  *  I  hope  you  will  take  this  matter  vigorously 
in  hand  when  you  arrive  at  Melbourne.'  He  re- 
plied, '  It  is  my  intention  to  do  so.'  In  the  midst 
of  our  distress,  it  is  consoling  to  know  that  Mr. 
Draper's  faith  did  not  fail  him  in  the  trial,  and  that 
for  twenty-four  hours  before  the  vessel  sank,  he 
labored  incessantly  for  the  perishing  passengers." 

"  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  he  was  the  means,  under 
God,  of  bringing  all  who  went  down,  to  repentance 
and  faith  in  our  blessed  Lord.  Who,  then,  would 
have  prevented  his  going  to  sea  in  *  The  London '  ? 
The  conduct  of  Captain  Martin  and  of  Mr.  Djaper 
are  amongst  the  finest  examples  of  heroic  duty  in 
modern  times.  They  have  left  behind  a  testimony 
which  will  have  its  effect  on  millions  of  minds. 
Our  dear  friend  was  just  the  man  for  such  an  emer- 
gency. God  gave  him  grace  and  courage  for  his 
solemn  and  terrible  task.     It  is  also  stated  that  Mrs.* 


mS   DECLINING   HEALTH   AND   DEATH. 


323 


Draper,  with  characteristic  though tfulness,  kindness, 
and  care,  gave  to  one  of  the  seamen  who  escaped, 
her  shawl  to  wrap  round  him  in  tlie  boat.  I  have 
got  the  artist  who  photographed  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dra- 
per only,  a  few  weeks  since,  to  prepare  a  lot  of  their 
cartes-de-visite,  which  I  have  sent  by  book-post. 
Will  you  be  good  enough  to  distribute  them?  I 
have  also  advised  the  photographer  to  send  you  a 
packet  for  disposal  at  the  Book  Room." 

"  I  think  the  idea  of  a  scholarship  in  memory  of 
Mr.  Draper  a  very  happy  one." 

Mr.  Powell's  first  strong  symptoms  of  failing 
health  appeared  on  Sunday,  the  18th  of  September, 
1864.  On  that  day  he  opened  the  Sunday-school  of 
which  he  was  superintendent,  at  half -past  nine  a.m. 
At  the  close  of  the  morning  school,  he  attended  the 
public  service  of  two  hours'  length  in  Denbigh  Road 
Chapel.  At  half -past  three  p.m.,  he  conducted  the 
Sunday-school  teachers'  prayer-meeting,  and  in  the 
evening  attended  the  pul>lic  service  again,  leading 
its  service  of  song.  On  the  way  home,  he  was  taken 
ill,  and  was  laid  up  for  ten  days.  He  attributed  his 
extreme  exhaustion  to  the  want  of  ventilation  in  the 
chapel.  Doubtless  that  may  have  expedited  and  ag- 
gravated the  crisis ;  but  this  was  not  the  first  time 
he  had  spent  two  hours  in  a  thronged  and  imper- 
fectly ventilated  building.  The  fact  is,  years  of 
mental  and  bodily  exertion,  always  up  to,  and  often 
quite  beyond,  his  strength,  were  working  their  in- 
evitable results.  Whilst  regular,  temperate,  and 
conscientiously  careful  of  his  health,  he  had  not- 
withstanding failed  to  apply  with  sufficient  strict- 


324 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL, 


1^: 


ness  to  his  expenditure  of  strength  the  judicious 
principles  which  he  had  worked  so  steadily  and 
happily  in  all  his  commercial  transactions.  He  had 
not  limited  his  exertions  to  his  capital  of  constitu- 
tional energy.  He  had  mistaken  spirit  for  strength  ; 
more  correctly  speaking,  the  strength  that  spends 
itself  too  soon  for  the  strength  which,  having  ascer- 
tained its  limit,  husbands  itself  and  holds  on.  He 
was  not  so  cautious  and  frugal  in  his  investments  of 
cerebral  and  nervous  energy  as  in  his  pecuniary  out- 
lay. He  did  not  in  this  matter  "  take  stock  twice 
a  year,"  or  "  always  live  a  little  within  his  inc*ome." 
Like  an  improvident  general,  he  had  no  reserves. 
His  was  the  intense  force,  the  im  vivida,  which  only 
becomes  aware  of  its  limitations  by  collapse.  Few 
men  of  his  temperament  adopt  the  sagacious  policy, 
by  which  the  Oxford  oarsmen  won  the  day  from 
their  smart  American  rivals,  contenting  themselves 
during  the  earlier  part  of  the  course  with  a  buoyant 
pleasurable  forth-putting  of  strength,  without  over- 
straining or  distress,  reserving  the  extreme  expendi- 
ture of  power  to  the  last  decisive  agony  of  competi- 
tion. It  is  true  that  Mr.  Powell  resolved  not  to 
overwork  himself,  and  believed  that  he  could  and 
should  (farry  out  his  resolution  ;  but  he  had  no  ade- 
quate reserve-fund  of  physical  energy  to  meet  an 
unexpected  emergency.  He  writes  from  London, 
October,  1862 :  "  Business  progresses  satisfactorily. 
I  have  as  much  as  1  care  to  do,  not  wishing  to  work 
myself  into  the  grave  by  over-application."  Early 
in  1806,  he  tells  an  Australian  friend,  "  I  have  been 
so  busy  and  anxious  for  the  last  two  months,  through 


HIS   DECLINING   HEALTH   AND   DEATH. 


325 


the  failure  of  the  health  of  my  book-keeper,  and 
getting  into  our  new  offices."  And  in  the  spring  of 
the  same  year,  "'  I  have  been  on  the  rack  for  the  last 
six  months,  and  felt  inclined  at  times  to  give  upP 

Then  came  the  terrible  commercial  crisis  of  1866, 
when  all  faces  gathered  hlackness,  a  monetary  cy- 
clone, during  which  no  prudent  captain,  whatever 
his  confidence  in  his  abilities  or  his  ship,  dared  for 
a  moment  to  leave  the  deck. 

He  writes:  "The  money-market  has  given  ns  a 
drilling  the  last  half  year,  both  in  high  rates  and 
tightness.  There  has  been  an  enormous  break  up 
in  confidence  ;  everybody  and  everything  is  regarded 
with  suspicion.  How  people  have  managed  with 
less  capital  than  I  have  I  do  not  know." 

On  the  16th  of  May,  he  writes :  "  During  the  last 
three  months  I  have  been  h)w  in  health  and  de- 
pressed in  spirits,  and  have  been  laid  up  several 
times  with  feverish  attacks  and  sore-throat.  All 
this,  my  physician  tells  me,  proceeds  from  general 
debility,  and  my  only  chance  is  to  get  away  from  the 
anxiety  of  business,  for  at  least  two  or  three  months. 
I  have  therefore  got  all  business  affairs  into  very 
excellent  trim.  All  orders  are  well  in  hand,  and 
everything  will  be  efficiently  cared  for,  as  if  1  were 
on  the  spot.  I  can,  therefore,  leave  with  great  com- 
fort." 

But  soon  he  has  to  write,  "  The  critical  condition 
of  commercial  affairs  warns  me  to  put  off  my  con- 
tinental trip  for  a  few  days." 

Early  in  June,  Mr.  Powell  went  to  Aix-la-Chapelle. 
On  the  8th,  he  writes  from  that  city :  "  I  expect 


326 


LIFE   OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


most  of  the  banks  here  will  fail.  Two  have  gone 
within  the  last  fortnight.  I  can  only  get  my  circu- 
lar notes  cashed,  as  a  favor,  by  the  landlord  of  the 
hotel ;  the  banks  will  not  look  at  them,  having  heard 
of  the  bank  failures  in  London.  The  people  are  in 
great  distress  about  the  war.  Most  of  the  families 
here  have  had  one  member  taken  away  to  swell  the 
ranks  of  the  Prussian  army  ;  and,  in  many  cases,  the 
means  of  support  have  gone  with  the  father,  brother, 
or  uncle  claimed  by  the  war.  The  doctor  here  is 
putting  me  through  a  course  of  bathing." 

Again,  on  the  16th :  "  The  Prussian  towns  get 
more  miserable  every  day.  Banks  break,  mills  stop, 
trade  stagnates.    Nearly  all  the  mills  here  are  quiet." 

"  I  am  prevented  making  my  contemplated  tour, 
by  the  daily  expectation  of  the  commencement  of 
hostilities.  I  am,  therefore,  staying  here,  hoping  to 
derive  some  benefit  from  the  waters.  I  am  thank- 
ful that  the  lii-st  blow  has  not  yet  been  struck,  but 
all  parties  have  gone  too  far  to  recede  without  a 
licrht.  Nearly  two  millions  of  men  are  under  arms. 
I^xpect,  if  the  powers  hesitate.  Garibaldi  will  pre- 
cipitate matters.  There  will  be  slaughter  on  the 
American  scale." 

"  Change  of  air  and  relaxation  have  already  done 
me  some  good.  I  am  suffering  from  a  tendency  to 
congestion  of  the  brain,  and  my  physician  insisted 
on  my  forsaking  business  for  a  month  or  two,  that 
my  head  may  rest.  In  London  we  work,  as  a  rule, 
too  hard  ;  but  business,  to  be  done  well,  must  have 
minute  attention." 

On  the  26th :  ."  We  can  learn  very  little  here  as  to 


HIS  DECLIKING   HEALTH   AND  DEATH. 


32T 


the  details  and  progress  of  the  war.  The  Govern- 
ment suppresses  intelligence  as  much  as  possible. 
Only  what  they  approve  appears  in  the  German 
papers,  and  French  and  Belgic  papers  are  prohibited. 
There  will,  doubtless,  be  a  heavy  battle  this  week 
otherwise  people  will  think  that  Austria  is  afraid  ot 

her  opponents."  . 

Even  here  he  could  not  give  his  bram  the  rest  it 
needed.  To  his  young  partner  he  writes :  "  I  hope 
you  will  not  delay  any  matter,  because  you  do  not 
wish  to  trouble  me  now."  ^ 

Early  in  June  he  removed  to  Spa,  Belgium,  tne 
waters  of  which  are  celebrated  for  curing  disorders 
of  the  digestive  organs."  On  the  25th,  he  writes : 
« I  am  much  better  than  when  I  left  London,  and 
expect,  in  three  weeks,  to  return  to  business  in  good 

condition." 

July  28th.—"  Since  I  last  wrote  the  war  has  not 
only  begun,  but  seems  nearly  finished.  New  com- 
plications may  arise,  but  I  think  it  quite  possible 
that  peace  may  be  proclaimed  before  the  (Austra- 
lian) mail  leaves.  The  breech-loaders,  backed  by 
the  skill  and  energy  of  the  Prussians,  carry  all  be- 
fore them.  The  Prussians,  though  victorious,  have 
suffered  greatlv  in  the  stagnation  of  their  trade  and 
the  drain  upon  their  population,  whilst  the  blow  has 
shaken  the  Austrian  Empire  to  its  foundations." 

From  this  place  he  wrote  : 

To  the  Rev.  O.  Maunder. 

(Extract.)  Spa,  BELGimi,  July  27«7i,  1866. 

It  is  gratifying  to  rnc  that  I  have  in  any  degree  been  of  ser- 


s^(r^- 


828 


LIFE   OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


HIS   DECLINING    HEALTH    AND   DEATH. 


329 


vice  to  you  during  your  ministry  in  Bayswutcr.     It  is  true  I 
have  most  thoroughly  sympathized  with  you  and  your  work, 
but  the  weak  state  of  my  health  has  rendered  all  my  service 
so  spasmodic  and  uncertain,  that  I  have  often  grieved  at  the 
little  help  I  have  afforded  you.     To  have  won  your  affection- 
ate regard  is,  however,  great  gain.     Long  may  you  be  spared 
in  your  quiet  but  active  work,  which  effects  much  greater  re- 
sults than  the  noisy  popular  style.     Whatever  may  be  our 
opinion  of  fne  tailing  at  an  earlier  period  of  our  lives,  we 
are  brought  as  we  advance  in  years  to  recognize  most  keenly 
the  truth— that  only  those  can  accomplish  any  real  good  who 
have  God's  Spirit  working  in  them-that  only  tliose  can  speak 
with  power  and  demonstration  of  the  Spirit,  who  renew  their 
strength  by  waiting  upon  God  in  secret.     A  vivid  perception 
of  this  truth  only  comes  to  us  after  we  have  proved  the  vanity 
of  all  efforts  apart  from  God.     And  what  a  mighty  unbelief 
it  discovers  in  us  that  we  try  everything  apart  from  God,  be- 
fore we  will  really  submit  ourselves  to  His  teaching  !     I  wish 
it  were  our  habit  (with  all  reverence)  to  cultivate  a  deep  per- 
sonal attachment  to  the  Great  Redeemer  :  to  have  Him  asso- 
ciated with  all  our  plans,  arrangements,  duties,  as  our  nearest 
and  dearest  Friend.       If  Christians  were,   generally,  thus  to 
view  the  Son  of  God,  I  am  persuaded  we  should  see  signs  and 
wonders.     If  we  were  so  convinced  of  Ilis  complete  sympathy 
with  our  individual  welfare,  what  a  different  view  should  we 
have  of  His   cause!     The   notions  of  true    religion,    even 
amongst  very  earnest  professors,  arc  too  general;  and  hence, 
at  least  two-thirds  of  the  energy  and  zeal  of  the  Church  is 
never  developed.    It  is  a  deep,  personal  attachni^d,  that  draws 
out  every  power,  such  as  the  Apostles  had.     We  want  more 
8elf-al)negation. 

But  what  a  fit  of  moralizing  has  come  upon  me  !  1  was 
much  pleased  to  hear  that  the  laying  of  the  Foundation  Stone 
was  successful.  After  all,  no  work  we  can  undertake  has  less 
alloy  in  it,  or  gives  such  prof(mnd  satisfaction,  as  rearing  a 
place  of  worship.     The  Gospel  is  for  the  -healing  of  the 


nations."     I  hope  that  healing  will  come  to  that  very  sore  part 
of  Bayswater.  * 

"  Spa,  Aiii^iist  3d.-We  find  the  day  too  short 
when  the  weather  is  fine,  and  only  just  long  enough 
when  the  weather  is  bad.     What  with  books,  music, 
chess,  newspapers,  bath,  and  meals,  we  have  always 
plenty  to  do.      Beautiful  trout-streams  abound  m 
this  neighborhood,  which  is  as  hilly  as  Wales.    Our 
health  continues  to  improve,  and  we  do  not  cease 
to  regret  our  long  stay  at  Aix,  with  this  delightful 
place  so  near.     We  should  have  liked  to  stay  here  a 
fortnight  longer,  but  my  partner  must   have    his 
holidays  the  first  fortnight  in  September,  and  our 
office  cannot  be  left  without  one  partner,  as  every 
hour  documents  have  to  be  signed,  for  which  only 
a  principal's  signature  will  serve." 

Mr.  Powell  returned  to  London  so  far  recruited  as 
to  be  able  to  attend  to  business  for  some  six  months, 
when  a  sharp  disease  of  the  kidneys  so  reduced  him, 
that  he  was  "obliged  to  flee  for  life."  In  June, 
1867,  he  resorted  to  Schwalbach,  in  Germany,  from 
which  place  he  wrote : 

"  July  23d,  1867.— I  am  advised  by  the  best  med- 
ical authorities  that  my  only  chance  of  permanent 
recovery  is  to  abstain  from  all  mental  exertion  for 

♦  See  pp.  2i»,  296.  Starch  Green,  now  called  Bas.sein  Park.  In  reference  to 
this  the  Rev.  S.  Cox  states,  "  Mr.  Powell  took  the  Uveliest  interest  in  the  Honae 
Mission  under  my  care,  and  was  not  only  the  largest  subscriber  to  the  Basseia 
Park  Chapel,  but  e-ver  watched  the  growth  of  that  infant  Church.  His  last 
public  service  was  presiding  at  one  of  the  social  gatherings  there.  In  him  lofty 
and  sustained  spirituality  was  united,  in  singularly  beautiful  harmony,  with  keen, 
energetic,  successful  commercial  enterprise.  Simplicity  and  sincerity  were  iiv 
wrought  w^ith  his  nature." 


■iMiHMIPIIPMM 


330 


LIFE   OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


HIS  DECLINING   HEALTH   AND  DEATH. 


331 


11 


several  months,  and  for  the  next  two  years  to  be 
very  moderate  in  my  work.  I  have  been  here  for  a 
month,  doing  nothing  but  taking  the  baths  and 
drinking  the  steel-waters.  I  do  not  suffer  such  in- 
tense  pain  as  I  did  in  London,  but  otherwise  my 
progress  is  very  slight." 

Thus  begins  an  anxious  and  able  business  letter, 
of  four  and  a  half  folio  pages,  accompanying  anoth- 
er of  two  and  a  half  pages,  bearing  the  same  date. 
His  old  friend,  the  Eev.  J.  Eggleston,  of  Australia, 
was  with  him  here  for  a  short  time.  To  him  he 
wrote,  on  the  24th  of  July, — 

"  I  hope  you  will,  by  care,  retain  the  health  and 
cheerfulness  you  picked  up  here.  I  have  not  got  on 
well  since  you  left.  My  loss  of  appetite  and  sleep 
has  returned,  with  the  usual  catalogue  of  aches  and 
pains.  I  am,  however,  thankful  to  say,  that  I  have 
more  strength  to  bear  these  troubles  than  when  in 
London." 

He  then  plunges  into  the  affairs  of  the  Book  Room 
in  Melbourne,  going  thoroughly  into  its  financial 
position  (to  improve  which  he  had  advanced  nearly 
$1,500),  and  making  minute  and  well-weighed  sug- 
gestions as  to  its  efiicient  working. 

To  the  Secretary  of  Young  MerDs  Mutual  Improvement 
Association^  Denbigh  Road. 

(Extract.)  Schwalbach,  Germany, 

July  ^Oth,  1867. 

According  to  my  promise,  I  send  you  list  of  a  few  books 
that  will  be  very  useful  to  the  young  men  of  your  Society 
who  are  in  earnest  to  make  up  their  lack  of  education.     In 


this  list  you  wiU  find  Dr.  Beard's  "  Self  Culture,"  and  Paxton 
Hood's  "  Self  Formation."  The  first  of  these  contains  whole 
lists  of  books  suitable  for  various  kinds  of  students,  and 
therefore  is  invaluable;  while  the  latter  refers  in  his  book  to 
many  exceUent  works.  The  young  men  should  get  and  study 
well  these  two  first ;  they  will  then  discover  the  kind  of  books 
they  will  require  for  further  researches.  Pycrof f  s  book  gives 
some  capital  suggestions,  and,  for  the  more  advanced, 
*' Abercrombie  on  the  Intellectual  Powers"  gives  advice  that 
should  be  written  in  letters  of  gold.  Chambers'  "  Introduc- 
tion to  the  Sciences"  contains  wonderful  information  for  its 
size.  It  is  a  book  for  a  child  or  a  man,  and  as  charming  to 
read  as  a  romance. 

Any  desirous  to  attain  the  first  principles  of  the  French 
language,  will  find  " Coutanscau's  First  Step"  a  gem  of  a 
boolv.     But  all  the  books  in  the  small  list  I  send  are  well 

worth  having. 

It  would  be  well  for  any  who  want  a  larger  choice  of 
books,  to  get  the  General  Catalogues  of  W.  and  R.  Cham- 
bers, of  Paternoster  Row;  Bell  and  Daldy  (late  Bohn), 
Covent  Garden ;  and  that  of  Cassell  and  Galpin  in  Ludgate 
Hill. 

Then  follows  the  list. 

Next  month  he  removed  to  Heiden,  in  the  Canton 
Appenzell,  Switzerland.  Even  in  this  out-of-the-way 
place,  he  could  not  wholly  escape  from  business, 
thanks  to  the  perfection  of  postal  arrangenients. 
Here,  however,  he  derived  perceptible  benefit,  by 
"  drinking  the  Swiss  goats'  milk." 

From  Heiden  he  went  in  September  to  Munich, 
then  to  Dresden ;  whence,  on  tlie  1st  of  October,  he 
again  betook  himself  to  Spa.  Here  he  wrote  on  the 
18th  of  October : 


832 


1 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 

Spa,  Belgium,  October  18«A,  1867. 


HIS   DECLINING   HEALTH   AND   DEATH. 


333 


(Extract.) 

My  deab , 

Thank  you  for  the  sympathy  you  have  expressed  with 
regard  to  my  health.  I  shall  return  to  London  ^najort- 
ni-ht,  and  once  more  resume  my  duties ;  though  whether  I 
can  continue  them  remains  to  be  seen.  I  shall  husl)and  my 
strength  all  I  can,  mainly  directing  the  principal  parts,  and 
leaving  the  details  wholly  to  Mr.  Tony. 

On  coming  from  Paris  I  was  so  bad,  that  I  resolved  to 
have  the  best  medical  advice,  and  was  directed  to  a  physician 
of  great  celebrity.     He,  for  the  first  time,  and  at  once  told 
me  the  nature   of  my  complaint-disease  of  the  kidneys. 
This,  by  causing  me  great  loss  of  albumen,  was  weakenmg 
me  like  consumption;  so  that  when  I  took  up  my  pen  to 
answer  the  June  letters,  I  found  I  was  utterly  helpless  and 
like  a  person  about  to  faint  from  loss  of  blood.     The  physi- 
cians consulted  together,  and  ordered  me  without  delay  to  the 
Continent,  as  the  best  remedy,  to  drink  the  Springs,  which 
are  strongly  impregnated  with  iron.     The  relief  I  at  once  ex- 
perienced was  surprising.     To  cut  the  tale  short,  my  geneial 
health  has  improved,  but  the  disease  is  not  cured;  nor,  say 
the  physicians,  will  l>e,  under  the  most  favorable  eircums  an- 
ces,  in  less  than  two  yeai^.     They  are  of  opinion  that  I  shall 
have  to  leave  England  for  two  winters,  the  cold  being  likely 
to  strengthen  the  complaint. 

From  tlie  same  place  he  ^vrote : 

"Yictorians  should  visit  Continental  watering- 
places,  to  see  how  beautiful  towns  can  be  made  by 
the  judicious  planting  of  trees.  With  the  water 
supply  you  will  shortly  command  in  Victoria,  tree- 
planting  should  be  vigorously  commenced.  Why 
should  you  not  have  beech,  chestnut,  oak,  and  hme 
trees,  and  the  magnificent  firs  of  the  Mediterranean  ? 
They  would  grow  wherever  they  could  have  a  regu- 


lar supply  of  water,  and  afford  the  delicious  shade 
so  wanted  in  all  hot  countries.  In  your  '  picnic 
country,'  shade  would  be  doubly  valuable.  " 

Even  here,  and  in  this  state,  he  could  not  escape 
the  harass  of  business. 

To  a  friend  :  "  From  the  tone  of  your  remarks, 
I  see  tliat  it  is  necessary  I  should  apologize  for 
being  ill.  I  know  it  is  a  very  disgraceful  thing,  and 
that  a  man  is  looked  upon  as  a  sorry  vagabond  when 
sickness  overtakes  him.  The  great  Johnson  ob- 
served, that '  every  sick  man  '  was  '  a  kind  of  rascal.' 
No  wonder,  then,  that  you,  casting  about  for  a  rea- 
son, should  only  be  able  to  account  for  my  illness 
on  the  supposition  that  there  must  be  some  dark, 
mysterious  secret  weighing  upon  my  inmost  soul. 
My  crime  is  that  I  have  tried  to  do  too  much.  I 
have  wrought  in  my  business  and  in  the  Church  like 
a  strong  man,  when  I  ought  rather  to  have  nursed 
myself.  I  could  not  believe  my  doctors  that  I  was 
killing  myself,  till  one  day  head  and  hand  refused 
to  work  for  me  any  more.  That  convinced  me  that 
1  7nust  relinquish  all  my  offices  in  the  Church,  and 
set  about  repairing  myself.  I  hope,  in  future,  mod- 
eration in  all  things  will  be  my  motto.  With  re- 
gard to  business,  you  have  my  sympathy  and  sup- 
port." 

The  interests  of  the  Victorian  Book  Depot  still 
pressed  on  him.  To  a  friend  at  Melbourne  he 
writes:  "I  would  make  a  dead  stand  against  the 
debt's  getting  one  penny  larger."  He  then  insists  in 
the  strongest  terms  on  the  "  immorality  of  getting 
into  debt." 


334 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


Of  this  closing  period  of  Mr.  Powell's  life  the 
Eev.  D.  C.  Ingram  (then  of  Baj-swater,  now  of 
Cardiff)  writes : 

Mr.  Powell's  deep  and  practical  concern  for  the  stability 
and  growtli  of  the  Church  of  Christ  was  also  very  noteworthy. 
I  cannot  better  illustrate  this  than  by  giving  you  an  extract 
from  a  tmly  characteristic  letter  written  to  me  in  May,  18GG  : 
*'The  Church  of  Christ  is  having  a  hard  time  of  it  now. 
The  devil  is  playing  a  very  bold  game  in  our  day,  and  needs 
casting  down ;  for  his  agents  use  language  now  that  is  only 
consistent  with  great  success.     I  am  afraid  he  is  making 
havoc  in  the  Churches,  since  there  is  a  wonderful  increase 
within  the  last  few   years  of  Rationalism,   Ritualism,   and 
Materialism.    We  get  confounded  in  these  days  by  the  specious 
reasons  that  are  advanced  for  the  decline  of  the  success  of 
the  Church;  but  the  time  would  be  better  spent  by  crying 
out  as  in  days  of  yore,  *  Lord,  increase  our  faith ;  O  Lord, 
revive  thy  work.'     The  lack  of  success  is,  after  all,  occasioned 
by  the  ancient  cause— imMief.     I  hope,  in  the  deadly  strug- 
gle that  is  now  going  on  between  the  Church  and  the  world, 
that  our  preachers  will  give  themselves  only  to  plain,  earnest 
preaching.     We  want  no  gentle  pruning  of  the  branches,  but 
the  axe  laid  to  the  root  of  the  tree.     In  these  days  we  want 
men  of  the  type  of  John  the  Baptist.     I  see  that  those  who 
preach  the  truth  without  mincing  matters  are  listened  to  with 
the  greatest  respect,  and  have  the  greatest  influence." 

I  am  grateful  for  my  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Powell,  and 
for  the  stimulating  influence  of  his  character  upon  me.  I 
think  of  him  as  a  choice  specimen  of  simple  and  beautiful 
Christian  life,  and  of  earnest,  self-denying  Christian  labor; 
as  the  model  of  a  high-principled  Christian  merchant,  and 
as  a  pattern  Christian  gentleman.  I  pray  God  to  give  to 
Methodism,  and  to  His  Church  at  large,  many,  many,  more 
such. 

I  have  been  impressed  with  his  tenderness  of  conscience  in 
husinesa  matters  ;  and  many  things  that  many  respectable  men 


HIS  DECLINING   HEALTH   AND  DEATH. 


335 


do^and  even  some  good  men  can  do-in  commerce  without 
qualms  of  conscience,  Walter  Powell  evidently  -  ^  not^  j 
not  do  Would  to  God  that  there  were  a  higher  tone  of 
Man  morality  in  our  land  among  business  men  members 
of  the  Church!  Then  would  the  Church  ''pnt  on  her 
'beautiful  garments,"  and  go  forth  lovely  and  attractive  in 
the  sight  of  the  people. 

The  Rev.  G.  Maunder  says : 

His  modesty  and  unobtmsiveness  were  striking  features  in 
his  character.  Indeed,  considering  his  social  standing  and 
his  deep  and  intense  longing  to  promote  the  welfare  of  h^ 
fellows;  he  was  remarkably  retiring.  Who  ever  heard  him 
in  official  or  Church  meetings  with  loud  voice,  or  pertinacious 
doggedness,  press  his  points?  For  a  man  having  very 
decTded  views  and  a  strong  will,  such  as  he  had,  he  was  one 
of  the  most  practicable  and  pleasant  men  to  work  with  I  ever 

""nr   Powell  returned  to  England  in  damaged  health;  he 
was  for  several  years  past  but  the  wreck  of  his  former  self. 
Consequently,   he  did  not  take  that  prominent  position  m 
Church  matters  here  which  he  did  in  Melbourne.     But  I  can 
bear  my  testimony  as  his  pastor  for  three  years,  that  he  was 
a  worker,  a  hard  worker,  for  Christ,  and  a  liberal  giver  to 
His  cause.     In  the  welfare  of  the  Circuit  in  which  he  resided 
he  took  a  deep  interest,  spending  time,  toil,  and  money  in  en- 
deavoring to  improve  the  psalmody  in  its  principal  place  of 
worship-Denl)igh  Road  Chapel.     He  was  the  indefatigable, 
prudent,  painstaking,  and  kind  superintendent  of  the  Sun- 
day-school for  several  years.     He  was,  for  the  usual  term,  the 
Circuit  Steward,   and  managed  the  financial  affairs  of  this 
Circuit  with  discretion  and  success.     He  supported  liberally 
all  our  institutions. 

The  Eev.  J.  D.  Brocklelmrst  says: 

On  my  appointment   to  the  Bayswater  Circuit,  August, 
18G7, 1  received  from  Mr.  Powell,  then  in  S\vitzerland,  a  long 


I 


336 


LIFE  OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


and  deeply  interesting  letter.  Its  sympathy  with  each  part 
of  the  Circuit,  and  every  department  of  the  work  of  God 
therein,  was  most  cheering.  How  tenderly  he  carod  for  "the 
poor  of  Christ's  flock !  "  What  warm  love  glowed  in  his 
heart  toward  "  little  children!  " 

When  Mr.  Powell  returaed  home,  I  feared  the  worst  as 
Boon  as  I  saw  the  traces  of  sufPering  and  weakness.  But  his 
eye  was  not  dim ;  it  sparkled  with  intelligence  and  kindli- 
ness. There  was  a  sustained  blitheness  about  him.  When  so 
weak  that  he  could  only  bear  a  short  interview,  he  inquired, 
as  it  might  be  a  father  concerning  his  children,  about  each 
officer,  and  the  welfare  of  the  work  of  God  in  each  part  of 
the  Circuit. 

I  had  one  special  opportunity  of  seeing  him  as  his  end  drew 
nigh.  That  season  of  "holy  communion "  may  never  be  for- 
gotten. I  was  slowly  retiring,  when  he  drew  back  the  curtain 
and  signalled  me  to  stay.  It  was  to  give  me  a  thank-offering 
to  be  dispersed  to  the  poor;  a  characteristic  close  to  a  life  of 
singular  love  to  God  and  to  his  neighbor. 

In  the  beginning  of  1868,  fatal  symptoms  rapidly 
developed.  During  the  few  weeks  of  linal  conflict 
the  reality  and  depth  of  his  Christianity  became 
blessedly  apparent.  Mr.  Maunder,  who  attended 
him  to  the  last,  gives  the  following  details : 

Grasping  me  l)y  the  hand,  as  I  sat  by  his  bedside,  he  said : 
*'  I  have  not  to  go  to  heaven  to  l)e  with  Christ ;  He  is  here ;  " 
(laying  his  hand  upon  his  heart  ;)"//<?  is  here-it  is  Christ  in 
3/<??<— heaven  Vvithin.     I  have  Him  here." 

Some  beautiful  expressions  fell  from  his  lips  during  his 
illness,  which  were  noted  do^vn.  "  O  mamma,"  said  he  one 
morning,  addi'essing  his  wife,  "such  a  glorious  night !  Such 
a  baptism  of  love  1  Christ  is  in  me,  the  hope  of  glory !  I 
have  always  had  a  divided  heart ;  now  I  have  given  it  all  to 
Him,  and  He  in  return  has  revealed  to  me  the  treasures  of 
His  kingdom." 


HIS   DECLINING   HEALTH   AND   DEATH. 


337 


t^\ 


When  some  flowers  were  brought  to  f^' ^;;/%;f^f^ 
them  near  me,  that  I  may  admire  the  works  of  God  If  ever 
tnem  neai  i     ,  beautiful  trees 

I  see  the  spring  again,  low  I  '^'f^^^^^      appreciated  as  I 
and  quiet  walks  among  them  !     I  ha,ve  never  api 
ought  to  have  done,  God^s  beautiful  works;  they  all  glorify 

^ To' Mrs.  Powell  he  said,  "If  any  one  says  to  jou  that  I 
have  bl  patient,  or  have  done  anything  during  my  life,  say 
«No'     I  have  deserved  hell.     It  is  all  Chnst. 

Spealdng  of  a  friend,  he  said,  "  Hers  is  the  right  religion ; 

''  ^"eS-  and  Laura  "  (said  he,  speaking  in  refer- 
ence to  his  beloved  and  only  child)  "in  perfect  confidence, 
knowing  that  you  will  soon  follow  me."  x   i    n  1.0 

"^Oran^other  occasion  he  said,  "If  God  spare  -el  shall  be 
verv  happy  to  work  a  little  longer  for  Him;  but  if  not,  I 
IhaU  depart,  and  be  with  Christ,  which  is  far  better."     From 
fmc  to  W  he  would  exclaim,  ''How  I  am  surrounded  by 
mercies!      So  many  comforts  that  others  are  deprwed  o^ 
nursed  -with  such  tender  care ;  so  many  kmd  friends !     Thank 
Twho  inquire  after  me."     "Satan  has  tried  hard  to  ha.e 
me   but  ClLt  has  won  the  victory."     On  being  told  that 
"^^l..  the  happiest  room  in  the  house,"  ;'  Of  course  .  iV 
he  replied,  with  a  smile,  "because  Chnst  is  here        To  the 
Rev  R.  W.  Forrest,  Chaplain  of  the  Lock  Hospital,  he  said, 
^Ihave  loved  and  served  my  Saviour  for  more  than  five-and- 
twenty  years;  but  I  have  never  known  such  happiness  as 
ZZ  tMs  wk,  in  this  room."     Even  when  ^  mind  wan^ 
dered  his  words  and  broken  sentences  were  lUustra Uve  of 
hriting  character  and  Christian  devotedness,  as  well  as  of 

''^:^^J^'^^  Mndly  and  a^ectionatel.  b^^^ 
sing  and  praying  for  them,  and  referring  to  their  faithful 
services. 

Mrs.  Powell  records  the  following  as  amongst  his 
last  words  :  "Tell  your  father  and  dear  WiUy  that 

15 


w' 


338 


LIFE  OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


HIS  DECLINING   HEALTH   AND   DEATH. 


339 


I  bless  them  all,  and  that  a  great  change  has  been 
wrought  in  me  almost  without  my  seeking.  Tell 
Mr.  Forrest  how  precious  was  the  little  commun- 
ion." "  My  precious  wife,  I  give  you  endless  trouble, 
but  love  makes  it  all  happiness." 

He  died  on  the  21st  of  January,  1868,  at  his 
residence,  79,  Lancaster  Gate.  His  medical  attend- 
ant said,  "  I  have  attended  men  of  rank  and  men  of 
genius,  men  who  have  made  a  stir  and  noise  in  the 
world;  but  no  man  ever  so  impressed  me  as  that 
man.  Occupied  as  I  am,  the  remembrance  of  his 
holy  expression  of  countenance  and  his  beautiful 
character  is  continually  before  me." 

On  the  day  of  his  death  the  subjoined  lines  were 
written : 

Bane  of  Victoria,  3,  Threadneedle  Street, 

January  21  «^,  1868. 

Poor  Powell  !  I  deeply  grieve  that  all  hope  is  now  gone. 

He  has  been,  in  the  truest  sense,   a  good  man— religious, 

without  hypocrisy ;  charitable,  without  ostentation ;  bearing 

his  riches  without  arrogance;  in  all  his  actions  consistent. 

I  greatly  respected  him. 
^  A.  H.  Layabd. 

Dean  Milman  truly  says :  "  What  is  wanted  is  a 
Christianity — not  for  a  few  monks  or  monk-like  men 
— but  for  men  of  the  world  (not  of  this  world); 
but  men  who  ever  feel  that  their  present  sphere  of 
duty,  of  virtue,  of  usefulness  to  mankind,  lies  in  this 
world  on  their  way  to  a  higher  and  better — men  of 
intelligence,  activity,  of  exemplary  and  wide-work- 
ing goodness — men  of  faith,  yet  men  of  truth,  to 
whom  truth  is  of  God." 


Such  was  he  whose  character  and  career  I  have 

imperfectly  sketched. 

Mr  Powell  was  interred  in  the  Marylebone 
Cemetery,  Finchley.  Impressive  sermons,  since 
published,  were  preached,  in  improvement  of  his 
death,  at  Bayswater,  by  the  Eev.  George  Maunder, 
and  by  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Symons,  at  Melbourne,  where 
notwithstanding  his  long  absence,  his  death  was  teit 
to  be  a  public  calamity. 


THE  LESSONS  OF  HIS  LIFE. 


341 


:  !' 


m 


I 


] 


I 


CHAPTEE  XXm. 


THE  LESSONS  OP  HIS  LIFE. 


We  have  endeavored  to  set  Mr.  Powell  before  our 
readers  as  he  was ;  not  a  perfect  man  (for  there 
are  none  upon  earth  who,  in  the  sight  of  an  infi- 
nitely holy  and  just  God,  can  claim  to  be  perfect  in 
all  their  life  and  conduct,  and  Walter  Powell  would 
have  disclaimed  with  all  his  energy  the  assumption 
that  he  was  a  perfect  being),  but  a  man  with  like 
passions  with  ourselves,  tempted  in  all  points  as  we 
are,  who  yet  for  a  period  of  twenty-five  years  of  an 
extraordinarily  busy  and  laborious  life,  maintained 
a  close  communion  and  constant  intercourse  with 
his  Saviour,  and  amid  all  the  cares  of  business 
walked  with  God ;  and  though  in  the  world,  and 
actively  engaged  in  worldly  enterprises,  was  yet  not 
of  this  world,  but  rejoiced  in  being  a  citizen  of  the 
Jerusalem  which  is  above. 

Such  a  life  is  in  most  respects  a  model  for  our 
imitation,  an  example  which  we  may  wisely  copy ; 
and  the  lessons  it  affords  should  not  be  lost  upon  us. 
There  are  in  our  country  thousands  of  professedly 
Christian  young  men,  entering  upon  a  business  life, 
many  of  them  under  far  more  favorable  circum- 
stances than  those  which  surrounded  Walter  Powell, 
when  he  first  entered  upon  his  Christian  course ; 


could  they  be  induced  to  follow  Christ  as  he  did, 
to  make  it  their  first  and  great  concern  to  live  and 
work  for  Christ,  how  much  might  they  accomphsli 
for  the  Church  and  for  a  perishing  world !    All  might 
not,  and  probably  would  not,  be  endowed  with  Ins 
remarkable  business  capacities;  but  there  are  none 
who  could  not,  if  they  would,  follow  Christ  as  he 
had  followed  Him,  and  thus  prove  themselves  sons 
of  God,  without  reproach,  lights  in  the  world  the 
glory  and  joy  of  the  Church  of  God,  and  radiant 
jewels  in  the  Saviour's  crown. 

There  are,  too,  thousands  more  of  Christian  men, 
who  have  already  entered  upon  a  business  life,  and 
some  of  whom  have  begun  to  attain  success  and  to 
accumulate  wealth  by  their  activity  and  enterprise ; 
not  a  few  of  these,  we  are  glad  to  say,  earnestly  de- 
sire to  consecrate  themselves  and  their  earnings  to 
the  cause  of  Christ,  and  at  times,  under  the  influ- 
ence of  a  holy  zeal,  resolve  "  to  attempt  great  things 
for  God."    To  such  the  example  of  Walter  Powell's 
systematic  and  wide-reaching  Christian  beneficence, 
and  his  comprehensive  survey  of  the  wide  fields  for 
its  exercise,  will  be  of  great  benefit.     They  will  learn 
that  the  charity  which  is  to  be  effective  for  the  over- 
throw of   the   powers  of   evil  and  the  upbuilding 
of  Christ's  kingdom,  must  not  depend  upon  impulse, 
but  have  for  its  foundation  a  full  understanding  of 
the  vastness  of  the  work  to  be  accomplished,  of  the 
necessity  for  it,  and  an  unfaltering  persistency  in 
]>usliiug  it  steadily  forward,  till  the  topmost  stone 
shall  have  been  placed  upon  the  noble  structure, 
amid  the  acclamations  of  a  rejoicing  universe. 


842 


LIFE   OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


THE  LESSONS   OF   HIS   LIFE. 


343 


Let  us  then  seek  out  the  lessons  taught  us  by  this 
noble  life,  and  endeavor  to  apply  them  to  the  bene- 
fit of  those  who,  amid  the  cares  and  toils  of  a  busi- 
ness life,  are  seeking  to  do  the  will  of  the  Master, 
as  well  as  those  who,  thongh  hitherto  careless,  may 
be  incited  to  Christian  activity  by  his  holy  example. 

I.  We  learn  the  importance  of  self-culture  and 
8elf-s(yrutiny, not  only  at  the  beginning,  but  at  every 
stage  of  the  Christian  course.  Many  of  our  young 
Christian  business  men  have  begun  active  life  with 
a  much  more  thorough  education  than  the  scanty 
training  which  Walter  Powell  received  from  his 
mother's  lips  on  the  Macquarie  plains,  or  that  which 
he  afterward  acquired  in  the  auctioneer's  store  at 
Launceston ;  but  no  amount  of  early  education  can 
supply  the  place  of  a  rigid  and  thorough  self-culture 
such  as  that  to  which  he  subjected  himself.  The 
power  of  expressing  his  thoughts  with  freedom  and 
force,  the  habit  of  thoughtful  meditation  on  what 
he  had  heard  and  read,  and  above  all,  the  constant, 
thorough,  and  critical  study  of  the  Scriptures — these 
were  elements  of  the  success  which  followed  his 
subsequent  efforts  in  laboring  for  Christ.  For  it  is 
not,  after  all,  so  much  in  its  quantity  as  in  its  qual- 
ity, that  the  learning  acquired  in  the  schools  fails 
to  fit  a  man  for  the  highest  usefulness.  It  nnist  be 
a  culture  of  the  spiritual  nature,  a  sanctified  learn- 
inir,  a  knowledsje  of  the  works,  the  will,  and  the  law 
of  God,  which  shall  pervade  the  soul  and  lift  it  above 
the  sordid  considerations  of  earthly  gain  into  the 
purer  atmosphere  of  heaven.  Let  all  who  would  be, 
like  him,  "  diligent  in  business,  fervent  in  spirit, 


\ 


servinr.  the  Lord,"  learn  this  habit  of  self-culture, 
and  they  will  find  not  only  their  spiritual  strength, 
but  their  enjoyment,  greatly  increased  thereby,     io 
the  thoughtful,  prayerful,  and  earnest  student  of  the 
Divine  Word,  there  are  constantly  opetied  new  and 
precious  truths,  so  full  of  delight  and  instruction,  so 
wonderful  in  their  beauty,  that  he  seems  to  himselt 
never  before  to  have  discerned  its  preciousness,  and 
he  comprehends  in  its  fulness  what  David  meant 
when  he  said,  "  How  sweet  are  Thy  words  ^nto  my 
taste !     Yea,  sweeter  than  honey  to  my  mouth  I 
«  Thy  word  is  very  pure,  therefore  Thy  servant  lov- 

eth  it."  ^    ,  .       , ,     ,, 

And  then,  as  really  a  part  of  this  self-culture, 

comes   the  self-scrutiny  or  sdf  examination.      It 

was  the  wisest  of  the  Grecian  philosophers  who  laid 

it  down  as  a  maxim  for  each  of  his  pupils,  "Know 

thyself ; "  but  it  was  a  wiser  than  he,  an  inspired 

prophet  and  teacher,  who  uttered  the  prayer, "  Search 

me  O  God,  and  know  my  heart ;  try  me  and  know 

my  thoughts;  and  see  if  there  be  any  wicked  way 

in  me,  and  lead  me  in  the  way  everlasting." 

The  advantages  of  a  prayerful  self-scrutiny  are 

many  and  great :  it  enables  us  to  detect  and  abandon 

our  errors  and  faults ;  it  tends  to  keep  us  humble, 

and  to  make  us  think  of  ourselves  as  we  ought  to 

think,  and  not  as  our  vain  hearts  would  lead  us  to 

think. 

There  may  be  weak  and  despondent  souls,  who, 
adopting  Walter  Powell's  rigid  and  severe  habits  of 
self-examination  and  self -accusation,  would  be  driven 
to  despair ;  but  if  there  are  any  such,  we  commend 


344 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


to  them  David's  prayer,  which  we  have  quoted  above, 
as  commingling  with  a  scrutiny  more  severe  than 
his,  a  prayer  for  Divine  support  and  guidance. 
But  there  is  no  possibility  of  rearing  a  character  of 
consistent  piety  and  Christian  activity  without  lay- 
ing its  foundations  broad  and  deep,  in  the  knowl- 
edire  of  the  weakness  and  sinfulness  of  our  own 
hearts,  their  special  defects  and  besetting  sins;  a 
strong  and  unfaltering  faith  in  God,  and  that  de- 
cided Christian  culture  which  sanctities  all  the  fac- 
ulties of  the  mind  and  soul,  and  consecrates  them  to 
the  service  of  God. 

II.  In  Mr.  Powell's  case,  as  in  that  of  every  man 
who  like  him  has  successfully  combined  the  Chris- 
tian life  with  the  highest  business  activity,  there 
was  a  perfect  harmony  of  s^imtual  and  secular  life. 
His  religion  was  not  of  that  sort  which  expends  it- 
self in  Sabbath-day  observances,  and  is  laid  off  like 
the  Sunday  clothing,  at  their  close,  not  to  be  resumed 
till  the  succeeding  Sabbath ;  it  was  not  a  religion 
which  permitted  during  the  days  of  the  week,  double- 
dealing,  falsehood,  commercial  frauds  and  tricks, 
sharp  bargains,  and  undue  advantages  over  a  custo- 
mer. On  the  contrary  his  Christian  principle  was 
carried  into  his  business ;  it  permeated  his  secular 
life,  and  the  first  question  which  occurred  to  him 
in  relation  to  any  transaction  was:  Is  this  right? 
AVill  it  be  just  and  honest  toward  my  neighbor?  or 
AVill  it  briuir  dishonor  on  the  cause  of  Christ  ?  We 
do  not  mean  to  say  that  in  all  cases  he  lived  up  to 
the  highest  spirit  of  these  questions,  but  whenever 
he  had  departed  from  them  ever  so  slightly,  and  the 


THE  LESSONS  OF  HIS  LIFE. 


345 


w 


instances  were  rare  in  which  he  did  so,  his  habit  of 
rigid  self-examination  at  once  convinced  him  of  his 
error,  and  he  at  once  confessed  it,  and  made  ample 
amends.     The  instance  in  which  he  had  prosecuted 
a  claim  he  held  against  a  brother  before  a  court,  and 
when  convinced  of  his  error,  promptly  made  repara- 
tion, relinquishing  a  part  of  his  just  dues  to  promote 
reconciliation,  is  a  case  in  point.     His  conscience 
was  very  sensitive  on  this  matter.     He  was  known 
after  he  had  become  wealthy,  as  a  close  buyer,  but 
he  never   resorted  to  any  unfair  or  dishonorable 
methods  to  obtain  goods  at  less  than  their  value,  and 
\vhile  he  would  submit  to  no  trickery,  or  double- 
dealing  on  the  part  of  others,  he  always  kept  his  own 
conscience  free  from  stain.     To  his  customers  his 
course  was  eminently  fair  and  just.     He  made  a  liv- 
ing profit  on  his  goods,  as  it  was  his  duty  to  do ;  but 
he  would  have  no  leading  articles,  and  any  advanta- 
ges which  his  purchasing  for  ready  money  gave  him 
or  which  arose  from  his  skill  as  a  buyer,  were  turaed 
to  the  benefit  of  his  customers.     From  them  in  re- 
turn he  required  prompt  payment,  and  reciprocally 
fair  dealing ;  but  if  they  met  with  misfortunes,  he 
was  first  and  readiest  to  help  them  to  their  feet 
again.     There  was  no  cant  or  hypocrisy  in  his  com- 
position, and  hence  his  business  conversation  and 
corix3spondence  was  not  overloaded  with  scriptural  or 
relio-ious  phrases,  as  is  too  often  the  case  with  those 
who  seek  to  make  a  gain  of  godliness ;  but  the  Chris- 
tian principle  which  prompted  them  was  obvious  in 
all  his  business  transactions. 

Is  it  said,  that  all  we  have  stated  of  his  business 
15* 


THE  LESSONS   OF   HIS   LIFE. 


347 


346 


LIFE   OF   WALTER  POWELL. 


intercourse  with  buyers  and  sellers,  might  with  truth 
be  said  of  some  men  who  make  no  profession  of 
piety?  we  admit  it, but  with  a  difference.    To  those 
who  are  prompted  by  no  higher  principle  than  a  love 
of  fair  and  honest  dealing,  there  is  yet  a  something 
wanting,  hardly  to  be  described,  but  readily  percep- 
tible by  the  dullest  comprehension  ;  a  radiance  like 
that  which  illumined  the  face  of  Moses  when  he 
came   down   from   the   Mount.     Of   one   of  these 
noble  Christian  men  of  business  now  living,  we  once 
heard  this  remark  made  by  an  irreligious  man  :  "  I 
know  Mr.  C.  is  a  Christian.     lie  never  said  anything 
about  religion  to  me,  and  he  did  no  better  by  me 
than  Messrs. (a  highly  honorable  but  not  reli- 
gious house)  would  have  done ;  but  there  was  some- 
thing in  his  way,  that  made  me  feel  that  he  was 
doing  business  on  Christian  principles  ;  and  I  could 
almost  see  his  face  shine."     It  is  the   "  beauty  of 
holiness"  that  thus  illuminates  the  Christian  life. 

III.  This  same  Christian  principle  made  him,  a 
man  naturally  imperious   and   exacting,  the   most 
considerate  and  tJioughtful  of  men  toward  his  em- 
ployes,   Yei7  beautiful  was  his  relation  to  these. 
He  was  ever  regardful  of  their  interests,  solicitous 
for  their  health,  and  by  judicious  training  and  ac- 
customing them  to  responsibility  and  care,  and  his 
affectionate  and  fraternal  correspondence  with  them, 
he  very  soon  fitted  them  to  become  managers  and 
partners  in  his  business,  or  procured  for  them  other 
situations  where  they  could  be  in  the  high  road  to 
advancement.    He  was  also  always  watchful  over 
their  spiritual  interests. 


i 


This  is  a  matter  of  more  importance  than  some  are 
disposed  to  think.     We  have  known  some  otherwise 
excellent  Christian  business  men,  whose  treatment 
of  their  employes  was  a  dishonor  to  their  religious 
profession.     They  seemed  only  solicitous  to  obtain 
from  them  an  amount  of  work  which  they  assumed 
to  be  commensurate  with  the  not  very  liberal  wages 
or  salaries  they  paid  them,  and  manifested  no  more 
interest  in  their  physical,  intellectual,  or  spiritual 
welfare  than  if  they  were  mere  brutes.     There  was 
no  inducement  to  work  in  the  hope  of  future  promo- 
tion or  partnership  ;  no  appreciation  of  acts  of  faith- 
ful service  ;  no  solicitude  for  their  moral  or  physi- 
cal health  ;  no  admission  to  any  social  privileges  ;  it 
was  only  so  much  work  for  so  much  pay,  and  if  an 
application  was  made,  after  years  of  patient  and 
conscientious  service,  for  an  advance,  they  were  very 
coolly  told  that  if  they  were  dissatisfied  with  their 
pay,  there  were  plenty  of  others  who  would  be  glad 
to  take  their  places.     Now  this  course  is  not  only 
unchristian,  but  it  is  unwise,  as  a  mere  matter  of 
policy.     In  this  matter,  as  in  all  others,  the  highest 
development  of  Christian  principle  is  really  the 
wisest  human  policy.     The  merchant  or  banker  who 
makes  the  welfare  of  his  employes  his  personal  in- 
terest, who  seeks  to  attach  them  to  him  by  a  gener- 
ous policy  and  a  solicitude  for  their  physical,  intel- 
lectual, and  moral  well-being,  who  protects  them 
from    the    snares    and    temptations  which    beset 
young  pei-sons  in  all  large  towns,  by  a  wise  regard 
for  their  social  condition,  and  recognizes  with  kindly 
thankfulness   their  efforts  to  serve  him  conscien- 


..^ 


348 


LIFE    OF    WALTER   POWELL. 


tiously,  and  who  encourages  their  fidelity  by  timely 
and  judicious  promotion,  will  be  served  more  faith- 
fully and  profitably,  and  by  more  loving  hands,  than 
the  man  who  takes  no  interest  in  his  employes ;  and 
in  any  time  of  disaster  or  peril,  he  will  find  that  he 
has  a  corps  of  attached  and  willing  clerks  ready  to 
do  all  in  their  power  for  him,  while  the  coldly  self- 
ish employer  will  be  either  deserted  or  robbed  by 
those  who  have  ceased  to  feel  any  interest  in  one 
who  evidently  did  not  care  for  them. 

But  to  the  Christian  merchant  or  banker  there  are 
other  and  higher  consideraticms  which  should  make 
him  the  kindest  and  most  thouglitful  of  employ ei-s. 
God  has  placed  these  young  persons  under  his  care, 
and  if  he  neglects  their  spiritual  as  well  as  their 
temporal  welfare,  he  nmst  give  an  account  to  God 
for  his  neglect,  and  if  they  through  his  disregard  of 
their  interests,  are  led  astray  and  linally  perish,  their 
blood  will  be  found  on  his  skirts.  Apart  from  this, 
there  is  no  obligation  resting  on  him  in  regard  to 
th^e  with  whom  he  is  called  to  deal  which  has  not 
a  tenfold  stronger  application  to  the  case  of  his 
employes,  and  fidelity  to  God,  and  to  his  duties  to 
his  neighbor,  require  of  him  the  fulfilment  of  his 
plain  duty  to  those  dependent  upon  him. 

lY.  We  learn  from  Mr.  Powell's  life  a  lesson  of  the 
necessity  of  spiritual  activity  in  Church  relation- 
ship^ to  the  full  development  of  the  Christian  life. 
In  the  hurry  and  bustle  of  business,  the  on-rushing 
tide  of  commerce,  and  the  absorbing  interest  of 
great  financial  operations,  there  is  a  strong  tendency, 
on  the  part  of  really  pious  business  men,  to  compro- 


THE   LESSONS   OF   HIS   LIFE. 


349 


! 


mise  for  a  neglect  of  active  participation  in  Church 
duties,  by  the  giving  of  money.  They  have  not  time 
to  attend  the  prayer  and  conference  meetings,  to  take 
a  class  in  the  Sabbath-school,  to  lead  a  praying  circle, 
to  visit  the  sick  saints,  or  to  aid  in  some  city  mission, 
which  is  sadly  in  need  of  help ;  but  if  pecuniary 
assistance  will  answer  the  purpose,  they  are  ready  to 
give  that. 

This  is  not  the  Scriptural  rule.  With  the  rich  as 
well  as  the  poor,  the  busy  as  well  as  the  unemployed, 
the  prayers  and  alms  must  go  up  together.  Mr. 
Powell  was  in  this  matter  a  model  Christian  disci- 
ple. At  a  time  when  from  the  rush  to  the  gold 
regions,  and  the  impossibility  of  obtaining  capable 
assistance,  he  was  doing  the  work  of  three  men,  and 
giving  very  largely  to  every  benevolent  cause,  he 
yet  maintained  his  position  as  a  prayer-leader,  class- 
leader,  and,  for  a  part  of  the  time,  as  an  exhorter. 
Beyond  this  he  was  also  active  and  zealous  in  the 
secular  affairs  of  the  Church,  providing  for  its  mis- 
sions and  the  supply  of  the  means  of  grace  in  the 
crowded  mining  districts,  devising  means  of  aiding 
homeless  and  friendless  emigrants,  and  extending  in 
every  way  the  influences  of  Christianity  over  the 
communities,  which,  but  for  his  energetic  efforts, 
would  have  been  "  without  God  and  without  hope 
in  the  world."  And  in  England,  while  in  failing 
health,  with  the  cares  of  a  vast  business  on  his  hands, 
and  still  constantly  thoughtful  and  active  in  pro- 
moting the  spiritual  interests  of  his  Australian 
home,  he  yet  took  charge  of  a  large  Sabbath-school 
in  one  of  the  destitute  districts  of  London,  and  sue- 


aasBMM 


350 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


ceedcd  in  establisliing  there  a  chapel,  and  collecting 
a  large  congregation ;  and  meanwhile  was  active  in 
similar  efforts  in  other  parts  of  tlie  great  metropolis. 
y.  We  learn  from  Mr.  Powell's  life  lessons  of 
great  importance  and  value  in  regard  to  the  lest 
methods  of  exercising  a  comprehensive  lenevolence, 
Walter  Powell's  was  too  large-hearted  and  grand  a 
nature,  to  be  confined  within  narrow  or  circumscrib- 
ed limits  in  his  giving.  He  gave  because  it  was  a 
pleasure  and  delight  to  him  to  give ;  when  he  was 
poor,  he  gave  freely  and  largely  from  his  poverty  ; 
when  he  became  rich,  his  wealth  increased  not  only 
the  amount  but  the  proportion  of  his  giving. 

Yet  this  bounteous  giving  was  only  spontaneous 
in  that  it  proceeded  from  a  liberal,  generous  heart. 
It  was  like  all  his  religious  life,  conducted  on  a  sys- 
tematic and  well-ordered  plan.  In  the  very  begin- 
ning of  his  Christian  life,  when  his  scanty  income 
was  hardly  sufficient  to  support  his  little  household, 
and  he  felt  bound  to  economize  to  the  utmost  to 
avoid  debt,  lie  devoted  the  tenth  of  his  income  to 
the  cause  of  religion  and  philanthropy ;  as  his  cir- 
cumstances became  more  prosperous,  he  laid  down 
the  principle  that  the  tenth  should  be  the  minimum, 
of  his  yearly  contribution,  and  while  his  maximum, 
was  subsequently  a  fifth,  a  fourth,  or  in  some  cases, 
the  half  of  his  almost  princely  income,  the  tenth  re- 
mained as  the  measure  below  which  under  no  cir- 
cumstances he  would  fall.  In  one  of  those  disas- 
trous years,  to  which  commerce  is  so  liable,  he  wrote 
to  a  friend,  "  As  I  have  no  profits  out  of  which  to 
give,  I  must  see  what  I  can  afford,  notwithstanding 


THE  LESSONS   OF   HIS  LIFE. 


351 


my  losses."    At  another  time  in  answer  to  an  appli- 
cation to  aid  in  the  erection  of  a  new  chapel  in  Vic- 
toria, he  wrote :  "  In  January,  d.v.,  I  will  go  closely 
into  my  engagements,  and  send  you  an  order  for 
what  I  can  afford.   I  hope  it  may  be  $2,500,  possibly 
it  may  not  be  half  that  sum,  as  the  claims  upon  me 
are  large  in  proportion  to  my  income  ;  but  I  thank 
God  heartily  for  giving  me  anything  to  spare,  and 
any  disposition  to  give."     The  order  sent  was  for 
the  $2,500.    The  principle  with  him  was  not, "  How 
little  can  I  give  and  yet  satisfy  my  conscience?" 
but, ''  How  much  can  I  spare  from  my  business 
without  embarrassing  it,  for  the  cause  of  GodT' 
And  this  is  as  it  should  be.     A  rigid  adherence  to 
the  rule  of  giving  a  tenth  of  the  income  may  work 
hardship  in  some  cases,  while  in  others  it  is  not  a 
fair   proportion  of  the  income  for  God's  service. 
Let  us  illustrate  this :  A.  has  an  income  of  $1,000 
obtained  by  his  daily  labor,  and  has  no  reserve.     On 
this  sum  he  must  support  his  family.     If  he  conse- 
crates one  tenth  of  this  =  $100,  to  the  cause  of  be- 
nevolence, he  must  in  so  doing  deprive  himself  and 
family  of  some  articles  of  food,  clothing,  or  house- 
hold need,  or  at  all  events  of  something  which,  if 
not  of  prime  necessity,  would  minister  greatly  to 
their  comfort.     For  him,  situated  as  he  is,  the  tenth 
is  too  large  a  proportion. 

B.  has  an  income  also  derived  from  his  labor  of 
hand  or  brain  of  $5,000,  but  little  or  no  reserve.  He 
gives  the  tenth  =  $500,  and  in  so  doing  deprives  his 
family  of  no  article  of  necessity  or  of  comfort ;  but 
if  misfortune  comes  upon  him,  if  he  is  disabled  by 


352 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


I 

■ 


disease  or  taken  away,  this  rate  of  giving  must  neces- 
sarily cease,  and  worldly  wisdom  may  blame  him  for 
having  given  so  much.  This  is  a  case  wliere  per- 
haps the  rule  of  the  tenth  is  a  fair  and  just  one. 

C.  has  an  income  of  $10,000  and  a  comfortable 
reserve.  If  he  gives  but  the  tenth  =  §1,000,  he  has 
still  §9,000  left,  and  the  certainty  that  his  family 
will  not  be  left  to  want.  His  giving  a  tenth  de- 
prives his  family  of  no  necessary  food,  clothing,  or 
comfort,  not  indeed  of  any  ordinary  luxury,  and  if 
he  doubled  the  amount  he  would  still  have  an  in- 
come ample  for  their  use.  Here  tlie  tenth  does  not 
seem  to  be  the  just  maximum  of  benevolent  contri- 
bution. 

Where  the  income  is  still  lai-ger,  say  §20,000, 
$30,000,  §50,000,  or  §100,000,  and"  accompanied  by 
a  reserved  fortune,  the  intelligent  and  conscientious 
Christian  disciple  will  feel  tliat  as  God's  steward  his 
duty  is  not  fully  performed  when  he  has  given  a 
tenth,  a  fifth,  or  even  a  third  of  his  income  to  the 
cause  of  benevolence.  lie  has  an  abundance,  and 
more  than  an  abundance,  left  for  his  own  and  his 
family's  needs,  and  lie  will  feel,  as  David  did,  "  Of 
Thy  own  have  we  given  Thee."  It  is  one  of  the 
best  indicati<^ns  of  the  increasing  spirit  of  consecra- 
tion among  those  whom  God  has  blessed  with  wealth, 
at  the  present  day,  that  so  many  are  devoting  the 
riches  which  He  has  given  them  to  the  promotion  of 
those  causes  which  will  elevate  humanity,  di  If  use  the 
light  of  the  gospel,  and  glorify  God.  In  no  period 
of  the  world's  history  has  wealth  been  so  freely  con- 
secrated to  philanthropic  and  religious  purpose«  aa 


THE   LESSONS   OF   HIS   LIFE. 


353 


now,  and    never  has  human  enlightenment    and 
Christian  knowledge,  the  culture  of  the  intellect 
and  the  illumination  of  the  soul,  made  such  glorious 
progress.     If  this  consecration  of  the  gold  and  silver 
of  tiie  earth  to  the  promotion  of  God's  work  shall 
continue  and  increase  for  the  next  hundred  years  in 
the  same  ratio  in  which  it  has  done  for  the  last  fifty, 
we  may  indeed  look  forward  with  hope  and  joy  to 
the  speedy  coming  of  the  time  when  "  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  Lord  shall  cover  the  earth  as  the  waters 
do  the  sea; "  when  "  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall 
become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  His  Christ ; 
and  he  shall  reign  forever  and  ever."     The  gifts  of 
money  alone  will  not  achieve  this  glorious  consum- 
mation ;  but  money  sanctified  and  made  effective  by 
the  personal  consecration  of  its  possessors,  and  given 
to  the  service  of  the  Master,  will  speedily  accomplish 
it  through  God's  blessing. 

But  Mr.  Powell  was  also  discriminating  in  his 
leneficence.  He  did  not  lavish  all  his  gifts  on  one 
object  or  one  class  of  objects;  he  did  not  give 
largely  when  only  small  sums  were  needed ;  nor  a 
mere  pittance  when  thousands  were  necessary;  he 
gave  on  conditions  where  he  deemed  it  needful  to 
stimulate  the  liberality  of  others ;  and  without  con- 
ditions when  he  could,  by  so  doing,  accomplish  the 
better,  desirable  ends.  The  larger  part  of  his  giv- 
ing was  in  secret,  not  letting  his  left  hand  know 
what  his  right  hand  did,  but  where  his  examj^le 
would  produce  emulation  in  others,  he  would  allow 
his  gifts  to  be  made  public.  In  his  gifts  to  friends, 
dependents,  and  the  unfortunate,  he  was  very  care- 


354 


LIFE  OF  WALTER  POWELL. 


THE  LESSONS  OF  HIS  LIFE. 


355 


f  ul  not  to  give  in  such  a  way  as  to  pauperize  the 
recipients  of  his  bounty ;  and  his  gifts  were  often 
based  on  their  exerting  themselves  to  earn  an  equal 
sum,  or  in  some  way  manifesting  their  willingness 
to  help  themselves.  The  bold,  brazen,  importunate 
beggar  was  his  special  abhorrence,  and  if  he  some- 
times gave  to  such  a  one,  as  who  does  not,  it  was 
always  with  a  protest  that  he  would  not  do  so  again, 
and  an  apology  for  his  misplaced  tenderness. 

In  all  these  particulars  his  benevolence  seems  to 
us  a  fitting  model  for  our  imitation.  If,  according 
to  the  old  proverb,  "he  gives  twice,  who  gives 
quietly,"  he  doubles  the  value  of  his  gifts  who 
bestows  them  with  discrimination  and  judgment. 

Another  excellent  feature  of  his  beneficence  was 
his  fixed  determination  to  he  his  own  executor,  and 
giving  what  he  had  to  give  while  in  life,  to  see,  in 
person,  that  his  gifts  were  not  misapplied.     Too 
many  excuse  themselves  from  acts  of  wise  benefi- 
cence  during  life  on   the   ground   that  they  have 
remembered  such  and   such  causes  in  their  wills. 
But  how  few  of  these  bequests  ever  reach  the  ob- 
jects for  which  they  were  intended.     "The  dead 
hand,"  says  a  quaint  old  English  writer,  "  has  very 
little  power."     It  is  proverbially  easier  to  break  a 
will  than  to  make  one,  and  the  cases  are  rare  where 
some  one  does  not  appear  to  contest  a  bequest  to  any 
object  of  benevolence.      Then,  too,  there  are  those 
who,  holding  on  with  a  miser's  grasp  to  their  money 
during  life,  seem  determined  not  to  let  go  their 
hold  of  it  till  yeai-s  after  they  are  dead,  and  then 


reluctantly  bestow  earnings  which  they  did  not  live 
to  make,  upon  the  cause  of  God. 

In  contrast  with  these  reluctant  and  uncertain 
givers,  how  admirable  does  that  system  of  giving 
appear  which  searches  out  its  appropriate  objects, 
gives  wisely  and  discriminatingly  to  each,  and 
watches  carefully  the  effects  of  its  beneficence,  add- 
ing, if  needful,  to  this,  and  diminishing  the  portion 
of  the  other,  as  it  approaches  the  point  of  self-sup- 
port, or,  from  the  bounty  of  others,  requires  a 
smaller  proportion.  This  is  the  very  highest  degree 
of  Christian  beneficence,  watchful  ever  to  make 
every  dollar  accomplish  the  greatest  possible  amount 
of  good. 

yi.  Another  trait  of  Walter  Powell's  character, 
well  worthy  of  our  imitation,  was  his  Christian 
cheerfulness.  In  very  many  minds  the  idea  of  a 
true  Christian  is  that  of  a  man  of  severe  and  stern 
aspect,  who  seldom  or  never  smiles  or  laughs,  who 
looks  upon  all  amusement  and  cheerfulness  as  down- 
right sin,  and  who  is  never  so  happy  as  when  be- 
moaning his  own  sins  or  those  of  his  neighbors. 

We  need  hardly  say  that  such  a  picture  repre- 
sents, even  at  the  best,  a  very  imperfect,  one-sided 
Christian,  who  has  scarcely  learned  the  alphabet  of 
true  Christianity ;  oftener  it  represents  a  long-faced, 
sanctimonious  hypocrite,  who  has  made  his  outward 
seriousness  a  cloak  for  inward  iniquity.  Ko!  the 
true  Christian  is  cheerful  and  joyous,  and  why 
should  he  not  be  ?  At  peace  with  God  and  man, 
rejoicing  in  the  sense  of  pardon  and  of  a  Saviour's 
love,  he  has  nothing  to  sadden  his  heart  except  the 


^•1 


I 


356 


LIFE   OF   WALTER   POWELL. 


deep  regret  that  all  the  world  do  not  know  the 
Bweet  experience  of  pardoned  sin. 
•  Here  was  a  man  of  earnest,  ardent  temper,  an 
almost  constant  sufferer  from  disease  after  his  eigh- 
teenth year,  given  through  life  to  rigid,  and  some 
would  say  an  almost  morbid,  self-examination;  a 
man  who  in  early  life  had  known  what  grinding 
poverty  was,  and  later  had  received  stroke  after 
stroke  of  affliction,  losing  eight  near  relatives  in  a 
single  year,  and  burying  in  a  few  years  six  children; 
ovei-worked  almost  constantly,  and  with  a  load  of 
care  in  his  business,  in  ecclesiastical  matters,  in  the 
promotion  of  institutions  for  the  public  weal,  in 
providing  for  the  numerous  dependents  upon  his 
bounty;  and  yet,  amid  all  these  carking  cares,  he 
maintained  a  constant  cheerfulness,  a  buoyancy  of 
spirit  which  never  yielded  to  despondency.  He 
could  thoroughly  enjoy  the  pleasant  things  of  earth 
because  he  enjoyed  so  completely  the  light  of 
heaven  in  his  soul,  and  his  sources  of  delight  were 

so  unfading. 

We  mi<dit  go  on  to  particularize  other  admirable 
traits  of  character  in  this  Christian  business  man — 
such  as  his  moderation  in  prosperity,  his  unflinching 
integrity,  his  wise  foresiglit,  his  tenderness  for  the 
poor,  the  orphan,  and  the  stranger  in  a  strange 
land  ;  but  his  life  is  so  full  of  lessons  for  good,  that 
we  should  be  in  danger  of  extending  this  little  vol- 
nme  beyond  due  limits,  were  we  to  attempt  to 
enforce  them  all.  We  can  only  counsel  the  young 
Christian  who  is    commencing   a   business   life  to 


THE   LESSONS   OF   HIS   LIFE. 


357 


follow  Walter  Powell's  example,  so  far  as  he  fol- 
lowed Christ. 

"  So  shall  his  walk  be  close  with  God, 
Calm  and  serene  his  frame  ; 
So  purer  light  shall  mark  the  road, 
That  leads  him  to  the  Lamb." 


I 


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